Post Falls Can’t Finish Off Capital

Idaho A-1

For 24 minutes, or the equivalent of three quarters, Post Falls dominated Capital in the State A-1 boys basketball consolation game Saturday morning.

It was the start and finish that proved to be Post Falls’ downfall as Capital of Boise fended off a Trojans rally for a 71-63 win at Idaho State University’s Holt Arena.

From the 3-minute mark of the first quarter to the 3-minute mark of the fourth period, Post Falls outscored Capital 57-44.

But the Eagles, spurred by their trademark tenacious man-to-man defense, outscored the Trojans 27-6 in the other 8 minutes - 16-4 to open the game and 11-2 to finish the game.

“We didn’t click in the early going and no matter how hard you fight it’s awful tough to come back from that far down,” said Post Falls coach Scott Moore, whose team finished 21-6.

Capital, the District III runner-up, finishes at 18-8.

Defense sparked Post Falls’ comeback, particularly its full-court pressure.

“Toward the end we still wanted to press, but all the energy that we used to get us back from the deficit really told on the end of the game,” Moore said. “We were spent toward the end.”

And it showed through missed free throws and passes that were delivered a split-second too late.

Senior wing Mike McLean led Post Falls’ revival in the first half by scoring 10 points. He got two typical garbage baskets to ignite the comeback. And an 18-foot jumper and a short jumper by McLean in the final 2 minutes of the second quarter allowed the Trojans to pull within 38-34 at halftime.

Foul trouble, though, kept McLean on the bench most of the second half. But that opened the door for senior reserve wing Tim Cudmore to shine.

Playing perhaps his best game of the season, the 6-foot-5 Cudmore scored nine of his 11 points in the second half and had three well-timed blocks.

Cudmore made an even bigger impact on the boards, finishing with 12 rebounds, eight on the offensive end.

Post Falls got within a basket at 49-47 on a Cudmore tipin with 1:47 left in the third quarter. A minute later Cudmore turned a free-throw miss by Darick Pope into two points when he soared above the Eagles for the rebound.

For all the hard work, though, Post Falls still found itself trailing by the same halftime margin of four points (53-49) going into the final quarter.

A 5-0 spurt by the Eagles put Post Falls in a deeper hole just 1:30 into the fourth period. A 3-pointer by Shannon Eddins extended Capital’s lead to 58-49.

Moments later, the Trojans caught a second wind.

Reserve guard Justin Curtis started a rally when he drained a 3-pointer that would give Post Falls its lone lead. Cudmore got a putback, Tim Roberts made two free throws and a three-point play and Pope hit both ends of a oneand-one that capped a 12-0 run as the Trojans pulled ahead 61-60 at the 3:06 mark.

Just as quick as the Trojans found the extra energy, they lost it.

Capital regained the lead at 62-61 when Ryan Rowbury made two free throws with 2:46 remaining.

It was the beginning of the end. Post Falls missed its final eight shots and committed two turnovers in the final 2-1/2 minutes.

“When we got down it killed us to have to battle back,” McLean said. “After (Capital) got the lead back we started forcing it and panicking.”

Roberts led the Trojans with 17 points and six rebounds.

Eddins led the Eagles with 24 points, five rebounds, four assists and three steals. He made 10 of 11 free throws, including 4 of 4 in the final 42 seconds when Post Falls was forced to foul.

McLean said Capital was by far the most physical team Post Falls played this season. And the physical nature took a toll on the Trojans by game’s end.

But McLean was pleased overall with

the season.

“But we didn’t play to our potential at state,” he said. “We played well in spurts, but never a solid game.”

Capital 71, Post Falls 63

CAPITAL (71)

Lords 12, Eddins 24, Waddell 6, Lungren 6, Doan 2, Wood 2, Rowbury 11, Blacklock 8.

POST FALLS (63)

Curtis 5, Edmonds 7, Roberts 17, Hollenbeck 5, Pope 8, McLean 10, Cudmore 11.

Halftime-Capital 38, Post Falls 34.

Centennial 72, Rigby 69:

Clint Hordemann scored 21 points to lead No. 1 Centennial (26-0) over No. 2 Rigby (25-1) in the championship game.

Pocatello 67, Blackfoot 53

Guard Dane Jorgensen and center J.T. Nelson combined for 36 points as Pocatello (17-9) thumped Blackfoot (14-15) for third place.