Pullman boys on a mission to get back to the Class 2A championship game

Top-ranked Greyhounds capture 2A GSL title with 63-47 win over West Valley of Spokane - on a night when retiring longtime Eagles coach Jay Humphrey says goodbye to his home crowd

SPOKANE, Wash. - It was a night when many rival coaches and former players came out to salute Jay Humphrey's long career in basketball.

Top-ranked Pullman crashed the celebration.

Humphrey got his flowers for 38 seasons coaching basketball in Spokane - but the Greyhounds got the 63-47 road victory Friday over West Valley to wrap up the 2A Greater Spokane League title.

Jaedyn Brown scored a game-high 24 points, including six 3-pointers, as the Greyhounds rode a late first-quarter surge to grab a double-digit lead - and never looked back.

"It was a good crowd tonight ... and fans were rocking," Pullman boys coach Craig Brantner said. "Our kids stepped up and did a lot of things that we hadn't done too much this year."

For starters, the regulars - paced by Brown and Tanner Barbour (11 of 14 points in first half) - played four quarters, which is something that haven't done a whole lot in lopsided blowouts this season.

"It's nice to see we are in shape to play minutes like that," Brantner said.

Photo by Andy Buhler

Brown sank two 3-pointers to highlight a quarter-closing 11-0 run as Pullman grabbed a 19-8 lead.

The lead eventually ballooned to 19 points early in the second half.

"Darn, Pullman is good," Humphrey said. "We knew we'd have to play very well - and they'd have to stumble for us to get them."

The loss didn't put a damper on Humphrey's memorable night as ex-players from many of his previous stops - Central Valley ('C team), North Central, University, Shadle Park (assistant) and these past 14 seasons at West Valley - were in attendance for his final home game.

In all, Humphrey - the son of WIBCA hall-of-fame coach Denny Humphrey - has 293 coaching wins.

"It was very emotional," said Jay Humphrey, who was recognized at midcourt before the game - to a standing ovation. "Very humbling."