Lc Sinks Nampa T-Wolves’ 89 Points Most In School’s Two-Year History

It doesn’t take a doctorate in basketball-ology to understand it’s easier to make a free throw than a 3-pointer.

The Lake City High School boys buried 34 of 41 free throws - including 18 straight during a fourth-quarter stretch - in Friday night’s 89-73 non-conference win over Nampa, which casted up 30 3-point attempts.

LC (3-2) led comfortably most of the way, but never delivered the knockout blow to the Bulldogs (0-5), who hit just enough 3s (10) to stay semi-close.

“That’s a lot of points, but obviously they added up because we shot so well from the foul line,” said LC coach Jim Winger.

The previous school record for points for LC, which is in only its second year of existence, was 79.

The Timberwolves’ success at the foul line jogged Winger’s memory bank.

“I wish we could have saved a couple of those (free throw) makes for the past couple state tournaments,” joked Winger, recalling some painful state losses. “If I could borrow, I’d be borrowing big time. But these guys shoot good free throws and it makes you feel a little better.”

The play of LC’s starting five probably made Winger feel downright giddy. Wing Jon Chatfield piled up 29 points, 12 in the opening quarter as LC built a 22-12 lead.

Forward Scott Hoover contributed 16 points, 14 rebounds and a thunderous dunk near the end of the first half that gave LC a 38-30 advantage.

Point guard Mike Thompson scored 11 points and offered his usual steady, heady floor game. Guard Jerid Keefer opened LC’s first-quarter run with a 3-pointer and later managed a pair of putback baskets in traffic, despite standing just 5-foot-10.

And finally, 6-3 center Chad Beadell had 20 points, 10 on spotless fourth-quarter foul shooting.

“The person I was impressed with was Beadell,” Winger said. “Maybe it was a breath of fresh air because he wasn’t guarding a 6-10 or 6-7 kid, which he’s been doing most of the year. Maybe it was a little easier for him.”

One could make a case for dividing up the game ball to Winger’s five starters. But Nampa coach Jim Graham might ask that a sixth be included - his team.

“Our defense was just terrible, we were a step behind,” Graham said. “Our rebounding was atrocious. I’ve got us getting outrebounded 30-18 and it may have been worse than that. We’re not going to win too many games that way. We can’t rely on sitting out there and shooting 3-pointers.”

LC cruised into leads at 58-36 and 69-48, but a brief turnover spell allowed the Bulldogs to slide back within 12 with 2 minutes left. Beadell and Mike Asper dropped in 10 free throws to keep the margin wide.

“It was kind of a weird game,” Winger said. “We never did get a really big run where we were doing everything right offensively and defensively.”

LC entertains Boise, which lost to Coeur d’Alene on Friday, today at 2:30, while Nampa visits CdA.

Lake City 89, Nampa 73

Nampa 12 18 14 29 - 73

Lake City 22 16 23 28 - 89

NAMPALee 7, Bower 19, Kollmann 11, Poulton 17, Larsen 2, Blacker 4, Michaelson 8, Alderson 5.

LAKE CITYChatfield 29, Hoover 16, Thompson 11, Keefer 7, Beadell 20, Asper 6.

, DataTimes