PREP BASKETBALL: Kelly helps North Idaho Christian girls clinch sixth straight league title

| January 16, 2024 1:10 AM

• GIRLS

SPOKANE — Senior Danica Kelly totaled 15 points, six assists and five steals as the North Idaho Christian Royals clinched their sixth straight Mountain Christian League regular-season title with a 40-15 victory over Spokane Classical Christian on Monday at the Spokane First Church of the Nazarene.

Chelsey Cate added seven points and seven rebounds for North Idaho Christian (17-1, 8-0 MCL). Belle Sanwald had five points, six assists and five rebounds.

Addy Fowlkes led Spokane Classical Christian with 13 points.

North Idaho Christian heads to Kalispell, Mont., to play Stillwater Christian on Friday and Flathead Valley Home School Association on Saturday.

N.I. Christian 12 11 9 8 — 40

Spo. Class. Chr. 4 2 2 7 — 15

NORTH IDAHO CHRISTIAN — Hodson 2, Cate 7, Salaiz 0, Kelly 15, Collins 3, S. Pilgrim 5, Sanwald 5, Y.C. Pilgrim 3.

SPOKANE CLASSICAL CHRISTIAN — Pickard 0, Pearson 0, Turner 0, Hannon 0, Adams 0, Fowlkes 13, Avdeyev 2, Swartz 0.

• BOYS

N.I. Christian 55

Spo. Class. Chr. 50

SPOKANE — Junior Carson Malinauskas scored 10 of his 19 points in the fourth quarter, hitting all six of his free-throw attempts and both of his field-goal tries, as the Royals rallied past the Knights in Mountain Christian League play.

Caden Smith, saddled with foul trouble in the first quarter, scored 14 of his 16 points in the second half for North Idaho Christian (10-5, 7-4 MCL). Ethan Antone had 11 points and three steals, Smith six rebounds, Colton Scott five boards for the Royals, who were 22 of 26 from the line.

Justus Piazza led Spokane Classical Christian School with 14 points.

North Idaho Christian heads to Kalispell, Mont., to play Stillwater Christian on Friday and Flathead Valley Home School Association on Saturday.

N.I. Christian 7 11 20 17 — 55

Spo. Class. Chr. 7 13 20 10 — 50

NORTH IDAHO CHRISTIAN — Smith 16, Scott 6, Ca. Malinauskas 19, Antone 11, Hill 0, Co. Malinauskas 3.

SPOKANE CLASSICAL CHRISTIAN — Fowlkes 4, Ihrig 0, Ott 3, Avdeyev 7, Maguire 12, Kapelac 0, Timme 10, Piazza 14.