Spokane Stars Blue finish second at US championships

SAN DIEGO - The Spokane Stars Blue club team went 5-1 in the MSNM Western U.S. Championship girls basketball tournament, falling to the Northwest Blaze 47-32 on Monday in the title game.

Three local girls play for the Stars. Erin Legel, of Coeur d'Alene High, and Brooke Litalien and Sydney William of Post Falls.

Legel averaged 10.3 points per game in the tournament, Litalien 5.1 ppg and Williams 3.6 ppg. Legel also added 3.4 assists per game and 2.4 steals. Litalien averaged 1.2 steals and 2.1 assists, and Williams recorded 4.1 rebounds per game.

The Stars also fell to the NW Blaze at another NCAA-sanctioned tournament recently in Spokane, in a quarterfinal matchup.

Coach Ron Adams was proud of the team's second place showing in San Diego and its third place result in Spokane.

"Last year we won both tournaments," Adams said, "But this is a fantastic result for the kids we have this year.

"(NW Blaze) just wore us down. They had a better bench and are more athletic."

To get to the finals, the Stars beat Club G-Ball (84-27), Tree of Hope (Alaska) 74-41, Cloud Nine Storm (Vancouver, Wash.) 44-19, The Blaze Elite (Seattle) 69-41 and YEA Elite (Seattle) 53-41.

The Stars finish their season with a 34-6 record.