Time growing short on Blackhawks' league season

With barely two and a half weeks left in the regular season, the Cheney High School boys' basketball team is fast running out of chances to make some noise in the Great Northern League standings.

The Blackhawks fell to 0-4 in the GNL with three losses last week, beginning with a heartbreaking 54-53 setback at home against East Valley. Cheney followed that with a thumping at the hands of defending state champion Clarkston, 65-36, before hitting the road to Pullman where, except for the first eight minutes, they played pretty well in a 55-44 loss to the Greyhounds.

The loss last Tuesday to East Valley was the hardest for the team, head coach Gregg Smith said. Cheney battled East Valley to a 31-31 tie at intermission, but came out cold in the third quarter as the Knights opened with a 10-point lead.

Led by the offense of seniors Riley Jones and Jamiel Worthem, the Blackhawks rallied in the fourth, but too many turnovers down the stretch and East Valley success at the free throw line kept Cheney out of the winner's column. Jones finished with 19 points while Worthem added 14 as the Blackhawks played how Smith expects them to play each night - with intensity and purpose.

"It was one of those 'keep working, it's paying off' moments," Smith said. "We came into the locker room after the game knowing we should've won."

It wasn't nearly like that Friday night against Clarkston. The teams were tied at 2 for several minutes before Bantams shooting and Cheney turnovers and inability to collect rebounds helped the visitors to a 17-6 first quarter lead.

Cheney trimmed that margin early in the second, with Matt Wichman's basket cutting Clarkston's lead to 20-12, but it was as close as the Blackhawks would get the rest of the game. Worthem was the only Blackhawk in double figures with 13.

Saturday, the Greyhounds opened a 23-8 first quarter lead thanks to four 3-pointers in their first four possessions, five total for the quarter. Smith said to the Blackhawks credit, they didn't fold their tent and leave at that point, battling back to eventually come within six points several times in the third, but no closer.

Senior Ty Graham had a season-high 11 points, with Worthem adding 10.

Cheney falls to 4-6 overall, but Smith feels they have several good opportunities to get back into the win column coming over the next five days. The Blackhawks step out of league play to host Northeast A League and West Plains rival Medical Lake (6-3) in the annual Spirit Game tonight (Thursday), before returning to league play for round two with the Spokane Valley schools.

Cheney faces West Valley (1-2, 7-4) Saturday, Jan. 16, and East Valley (2-1, 7-4) Tuesday, Jan. 19. Smith feels all three are "winnable" games.

While the Blackhawks felt they played well and should have beaten the Knights, Smith said they also felt they didn't play well and could have knocked off the Eagles. Right now, it's a matter of positive attitude mixed with a little anger, Smith added.

"We have the confidence we can play with them (East Valley/West Valley) and beat them," Smith said. "Right now, I would like them to play with a chip on their shoulders."

John McCallum can be reached at [email protected].