Post Falls Wins Easily
Sandpoint didn’t attack the Post Falls zone defense, and the Bulldogs played behind Trojans guard Tim Roberts.
Sandpoint paid dearly for those lapses, as Post Falls rolled to a 83-61 victory in the A-1 Region I boys basketball tournament.
Roberts scored 10 of his game-high 26 points in the first half, as the Trojans shot 58 percent from the field (31 of 53) and 80 percent at the free-throw line (20 of 25).
“They shot well,” Sandpoint coach Jack Dyck said. “They made some tough shots. They’re a real good shooting team, that’s not a big surprise. You can’t allow the highpercentage shots to get you down, then they bury you with the 3-pointers.
“We gave them too many easy shots. They did what they had to do and we did not stop them.”
The win advances top-seeded and host Post Falls (18-3) to Saturday’s championship game against No. 2 seed Lake City (13-8), a 63-49 victor over Lewiston. Game time is 8 p.m.
Sandpoint (7-15) meets Lewiston’s Bengals (13-8) in a loser-out game at 5:30.
The champion moves on to the state tournament March 2-4 in Pocatello. The runner-up returns Monday to battle the loser-out survivor for a state playoff berth. That spot will be determined in Grangeville against the District III third-placer.
“Saturday night is a whole new ballgame,” Post Falls coach Scott Moore said. “We’ve got to play our best game of the season.”
It took a quarter for the Trojans and Bulldogs to settle down Thursday, as each team committed 10 first-quarter turnovers before an estimated 1,500 fans.
Post Falls wanted to take the ball to the basket from the onset, and Roberts did just that, scoring eight of the team’s 12 first-quarter points.
The teams played even until the 6-minute mark of the second quarter. Then the Bulldogs had a 4-minute scoring lull.
Post Falls reeled off 12 unanswered points, including seven by 6-foot-6 senior center Darick Pope.
Pope’s inside shot off a Roberts’ assist at 5:23 started the run and gave the Trojans the lead for keeps.
Reserve post Willie Love came off the bench to boost Sandpoint, scoring back-to-back baskets that pulled the Bulldogs to within 30-22.
Post Falls reserve Brett Hollenbeck responded with a pair of baskets, and the Trojans led 34-22.
The final six points of the half belonged to Sandpoint, including an inside basket for senior center Brian Trenholm, plus four points for senior guard Dallas Spielman.
Spielman nailed the first of two free-throw attempts at the 7-second mark. Love rebounded the second miss, passed the ball to Spielman whose 3-pointer at 4 seconds left the Bulldogs down 34-28 at halftime.
“We were a little antsy,” Roberts said. “The first game and we’re supposed to be the team to beat.
“Everybody did a good job posting. If the lane is open, I’ll take it.”
Post Falls shot a torrid 70 percent from the floor in the second half, including 9 of 10 in the fourth quarter.Roberts drove inside and drew a foul on Trenholm with 6:28 remaining. Roberts’ high-arching shot fell good, and his 3-point play conversion extended Post Falls’ lead to 59-39.
“I was very proud of the way we played,” Moore said, especially considering the Trojans won 71-61 in overtime one week earlier against the Bulldogs.
“One of our game plans was to go inside,” Moore added. “We definitely went inside when the opportunity was there. (Roberts has) got such great speed. He’s so quick. It’s very tough to stop him.”
Joining Roberts in double-figure scoring for Post Falls were Pope with 17 points and seven rebounds, Mike McLean with 11 points, six rebounds and five steals, and Hollenbeck with 13 points.
Trenholm topped Sandpoint scoring with 17 points and nine rebounds.
Sandpoint 10 18 9 24 - 61 Post Falls 12 22 19 30 - 83
Sandpoint - Buckmaster 10, Jeffres 3, Luce 2, Spielman 12, Herrington 3, Evans 3, Trenholm 17, Smith 0, Marsh 0, Love 11.
Post Falls - Curtis 2, Alexander 2, Edmonds 2, Roberts 26, Hollenbeck 13, Pichotta 0, Pope 17, McLean 11, Cudmore 5, Lee 4, Froehlich 1.
Lake City 63, Lewiston 49
Lewiston 6 16 12 15 - 49 Lake City 7 14 21 21 - 63
LEWISTON Scharnhorst 6, Baerlocher 11, Gilchrist 6, Smithwick 4, Feider 10, Farris 12, Frei 0, Gomez 0.
LAKE CITY Thompson 8, Wilson 2, Russell 19, Hoover 16, Kelly 9, Beadell 4, Keefer 5, Miller 0, Brumley 0, Coyle 0, Reiswig 0, Shaw 0.