Thanks to a last second shot, both Cheney High School varsity basketball teams earned pre-Christmas wins against Shadle Park.
Nick Berman hit a jumper at the buzzer to propel the Blackhawks past the visiting Highlanders of the Greater Spokane League, 60-59, while Maggie Smith led a balanced scoring attack in the Lady Blackhawks easy 74-41 pasting of the Shadle girls.
Thomas Baycroft led Cheney with 14 points, with Berman adding 13 in the tight boys’ game. Cheney owned a 38-35 halftime lead, but went into the final eight minutes tied at 45. Devin Cook scored 12 points with Camden VerStrate adding 11.
The Blackhawks hit six 3-pointers – three by Berman and two by Baycroft – and was a perfect 6 for 6 at the foul line.
Smith poured in 20 points, helping Cheney to a 26-13 first quarter margin. The Lady Blackhawks outscored the Highlanders in every quarter, including an 18-3 run in the final eight minutes to seal the non-league win.
Aijia Loffredi had 18 points, with Emma Evans adding 12. The Lady Blackhawks also hit six 3-pointers – three by Smith and two by Loffredi – and went 22 for 32 at the line.
Cheney’s girls notched their second win of the season to go to 2-5, and had games last week in the Eagle Holiday Classic tournament at West Valley – Dec. 27 against Northeast A League Newport and Dec. 29 against Idaho Inland Empire 5A Sandpoint.
The Blackhawk boys stretched their mark to 4-3 with the non-league win over Shadle Park on Dec. 21. They traveled to the GSL’s Mt. Spokane (8-1) on Dec. 28.
Both Cheney teams start 2019 with a non-league hook up with another Idaho 5A, Lake City, on Jan. 2, and then jump back into Great Northern League play with a date at Pullman Jan. 4.
John McCallum can be reached at [email protected].
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