When University and Central Valley meet for the first time in basketball, it's merely a taste of things to come - the annual Stinky Sneaker spirit game Jan. 22.

The Dec. 19 meeting found the girls tied with 3-1 records behind defending state champion Gonzaga Prep. The Bears' boys shared second place in a wide-open league at 3-1 a game ahead of the Titans, who were part of a four-team logjam for fourth at 2-2. 

So what happened? The doubleheader between district rivals was a wash. U-Hi's boys extended CV's losing skid to two games with a 59-45 result that further muddled a league in which there is no unbeaten team and seven of 10 are separated by one game a third of the way through the season.

CV's girls won handily, 70-49. 

In the boys game, an uncharacteristically slow start doomed the Bears. They trailed 16-2 and 24-5 before cutting the margin to 28-19 at halftime. Cold shooting was the main culprit, with CV making just 5 of 31 shots in the first half and 14 of 69 for the game. 

Meanwhile, U-Hi's Spencer Matt enjoyed a career game with 24 points and 10 rebounds. 

In the girls game, the roles were reversed, with CV shooting out to a 46-27 halftime lead. Last year's league scoring leader, Madison Hovren, scored 34 points, the third straight time over 30 this year. She also pulled down 17 rebounds. 

Freshmen twins Lexie and Lacie Hull combined for 22 points in the victory. So far this season, Lexie had scored double figures in four games and Lacie in three.

Girls, meet the champs

If they are going to catch up with defending state champion Gonzaga Prep, CV's girls have a ways to go, but fortunately much of the season to get there.

In a basketball game between the GSL's consensus top two teams, the Bears came out flat in the first quarter and never recovered in 72-53 setback at home.

They fell behind 20-4 after a period and though it was relatively even thereafter, CV never posed a challenge.

CV was on the other side of its other games, winning 77-23, 78-40 and 79-25 over North Central, Shadle Park and Rogers, respectively. The team also topped Lewis and Clark 67-47 Dec. 22 to run its record to 5-1 at press time. 

Pick your poison. Any one of seven CV boys basketball players will make you itch.

CV had seven players who have scored in double figures. Top among them was Michael Hannon, who had double digits every game, including 27 against Shadle Park during a 73-46 triumph. That was the closest a Greater Spokane League team had come until a stunning 56-54 loss to Rogers followed by the loss to U-Hi. The Bears rebounded Dec. 22 with a 54-42 victory over Lewis and Clark. 

Cameron Tucker, Parker Bowden, Tanner Sloan, Landon Daines, Max Sykes and Justis Simmons are the other double-figure scorers. 

Central Valley hosted the annual Inland Empire Wrestling Classic featuring 19 schools from Washington and Idaho. The Bears placed fourth with 150 points.

Braeden Orrino at 145 pinned twice, pulled out a 5-3 decision in the semifinals and won 5-2 for the title.

Blake Beard pinned his way to the championship bout at 138 pounds, where he won 8-0. His brothers, Bryson (126) and Bridger (132), took second and fifth respectively. Bryson pinned his way to the finals before losing a 4-3 heartbreaker. Bridger lost in the second and fifth wrestle backs of his weight classes.

Chauncye Garrigan at 182 pounds and Bryce Gardner at 106 both finished third. Each lost in the quarterfinals, then won four straight.

The Bears were unbeaten headed into the meat of the Greater Spokane League season this month.

State veterans McKinzie Carter and Izzy Erdem took up where they left off when the GSL season began.

Erdem was second all-around with a 34.1 total score and Carter third at 33.975 in a match among three of the league's top four teams. Perennial champion Mead scored 167.025 points to the Bears 160.175 and University's 146.8.

Erdem was third on uneven bars and floor exercise. Carter won floor exercise at 9.125 and was second on vault.