With Game On Line, Trojans Edge Viks

Free throws, free throws and more free throws.

Post Falls boys basketball coach Scott Moore watched his Monday practice plan develop during the fourth quarter of Saturday night’s ragged Inland Empire League game at Viking Gym.

The Trojans eeked out a 60-54 victory over Coeur d’Alene in a game kept close thanks to Post Falls’ poor free-throw shooting.

The Trojans went 18 of 39 at the free-throw line, including 9 of 24 (38 percent) in the fourth quarter.

“If we hit our free throws it’s a different game,” Moore said. “I don’t think we’re doing anything different; the concentration is there. Guess what we are doing on Monday?”

The Vikings committed 34 fouls and four starters fouled out in the space of a minute with 1:36 left.

“They called it really close,” Coeur d’Alene coach Larry Bieber said. “I think we should play with our hands behind our back. We do that in practice.”

Eight points was as much of a lead as either team enjoyed.

After a slow start, Coeur d’Alene finished the first half strong. The Vikings scored the last eight points of the second quarter to take a 35-29 halftime lead.

But Coeur d’Alene went flat in the third quarter, hitting just 2 of 15 field-goal attempts.

An offensive rebound conversion by junior Austin Lee gave Post Falls a 38-36 lead with 2:23 to go in the third period.

The Trojans guarded a four-point lead to start the fourth quarter.

“The third quarter letdown killed us again,” Bieber said. “We’ve got to learn to play with some intensity.”

Coeur d’Alene evened the score at 47-47 off four straight points from sophomore center Luke O’Dowd, including a pair of free throws with 3:47 left.

Reserves ignited an 8-0 run for Post Falls. Travis O’Briant hit a 3-point field goal at 3:33, followed by a steal by Brason Alexander, who fed Brett Hollenbeck for a 10-foot jump shot and a 52-47 advantage at 3:14.

The free-throw line provided the Trojans’ final victory margin, though they hit just 8-of-18 tries in the closing 2:50.

“This victory goes to the whole team,” Moore said. “Everybody does some good things out there. I thought we controlled the ball; we put them in a situation where they had to control us.”

Each team had three players who finished in double-figure. Lee’s 14 points, seven rebounds and two blocked shots led Post Falls (6-5, 1-1). Coeur d’Alene (6-7, 0-3) got 13 points, five rebounds and a blocked shot from O’Dowd.

The Vikings host Bonners Ferry in a non-league game Thursday.

Post Falls 60, CdA 54

Post Falls 20 9 13 18 - 60

Coeur d’Alene 17 17 4 16 - 54

POST FALLS Bechel 2, Alexander 1, Quesnell 2, McLean 6, Hollenbeck 12, Campbell 4, O’Briant 11, Lee 14, Juhlin 8.

COEUR d’ALENE Goodwin 3, J. Davis 2, Milonis 3, Lowry 2, Corbeill 5, Lee 4, B. Davis 11, Hermstad 0, Kovatch 0, Peebles 0, O’Dowd 13, Hoorelbeke 11.

, DataTimes