Lake City Turns Back Colville Indians Can’t Match Timberwolves From 3-Point Range, Stumble 70-54

Lake City boys basketball coach Jim Winger knew his team’s strength going into the season would be shooting.

Even after a unsightly home debut two weeks ago when the Timberwolves’ shooting accuracy was sub-freezing at 28 percent.

Lake City has warmed up in a hurry as the Timberwolves won what boiled down to a shooting contest against the Colville Indians, 70-54, in the Lake City/Coeur d’Alene Classic Saturday at LC.

The Timberwolves, who seemingly haven’t met a 3-pointer they don’t like or won’t at least attempt, made 26 of 49 from the field (43 percent) and 10 of 23 3-pointers.

Colville (3-4) found itself forced to shoot from the perimeter largely because the Timberwolves’ zone defense kept the Indians’ guards from penetrating.

And after LC used an 11-2 run in the final 4 minutes of the second quarter to open a 36-28 lead at halftime, Colville was forced to try to match 3-pointers.

It didn’t work. The Indians made 17 of 59 shots, 8 of 31 in the second half. They were just 9 of 33 from 3-point range.

It was the T-Wolves’ third win in their last four games after a 1-3 start.

“We’re 4-4 and six of the eight games we’ve shot the ball for a pretty good percentage considering where we shoot it,” Winger said. “People probably thought I was on drugs after (the home debut) because I kept saying we were pretty good shooters.”

LC was hot from the opening minute Saturday. Junior guard Chad Cheeley hit his first six shots and accounted for 11 of his 16 points in the first half. He apparently passed the can’t-miss-touch to junior wing Gabe Hern in the second half.

Hern scored 16 of his game-high 29 points in the final two quarters. He made 6 of 10 3-pointers.

LC made four 3-pointers when it went from trailing 23-22 to leading 36-27 with 1:15 remaining before halftime.

Hern hit a jumper just inside the arc that gave LC its biggest lead in the third quarter at 40-32. But Colville, pressing fullcourt the entire second half, rallied in the final minute of the third quarter to pull within seven at 48-41 going into the fourth period.

Two press-breaking layups and a 3-pointer by Hern to open the fourth quarter allowed LC to widen its lead to 55-41 before Colville called timeout at the 5:43 mark.

After two Colville free throws, LC went on another surge, a 9-0 run, that gave the T-Wolves their biggest lead at 64-43 with less than 3 minutes left.

Coming off the bench and playing quality minutes for LC were Matt Anderson and Chad Bramlet. They combined for 16 points.

“All of our guys have had their moments already in eight games so I don’t think we have to please anybody as far as playing time goes,” Winger said. “These last four games have been big confidence builders for us.”

Jed Ortner and Tim Sprangers led Colville with 18 and 14 points, respectively.

The other half of the holiday tournament will be completed Monday and Tuesday when Orofino’s boys and girls visit LC and Coeur d’Alene. LC will meet Orofino Monday in a pair of games at 5 and 6:45 p.m. and CdA will take on Orofino at noon and 2 p.m. on Tuesday.

Lake City 70, Colville 54

Colville 17 11 13 13 - 54

Lake City 16 20 12 22 - 70

Colville - Meinhold 9, Eslick 2, Anderson 0, Ortner 18, Bateman 0, True 3, Sprangers 14, Day 2, Bowland 0, Smith 0, Salina 6. Lake City - Camantigue 0, Cheeley 16, J. Reiswig 0, Barlow 5, Bramlet 11, Hern 29, Morris 4, Nipp 0, Anderson 5. , DataTimes ILLUSTRATION: Photo