Three Panhandle Teams Are Favored

If these were horse races, one might be tempted to take a trifecta on North Idaho boys basketball teams bound for state tournaments next week.

The three teams which figure to contend for state titles are Post Falls (A-1), Moscow (A-2) and Lakeside (A-4).

Here’s a look at the first-round pairings of the four state tournaments, which will be held in the Boise area beginning Thursday.

A-1

This tourney will be held exclusively at the new Idaho Center in Nampa.

Post Falls (20-3) will be the highest-ranked team in the tournament. The Trojans return to state for the first time in two years and will take on District III runner-up Boise (17-6) in the tournament’s opening game. Tipoff is at 12:45 p.m. PST.

In the other matchups, defending champion Highland (19-6) meets Eagle (16-9), a 42-39 winner over Coeur d’Alene (15-10) in a play-in game Saturday at Craigmont; District VI champ Madison (19-6) takes on District IV-V runner-up and play-in survivor Pocatello (16-8); and District III champ Capital of Boise (18-5) goes against District VI runner-up Blackfoot (17-8).

A-2

Moscow fell to Bear Lake in the state title game last year.

The Bears of Moscow (17-3) return, but the Bears of Bear Lake have gone into hibernation after being eliminated at district.

The tourney will be held at Meridian the first two days, with the championship game being featured among the other three finals at the Idaho Center on Saturday.

Intermountain League and district champ Moscow takes on District V runner-up Preston (18-6) in the tourney opener at 12:45 p.m. PST.

The IML’s second seed, Kellogg (15-8), will close out first-day play against District IV champ Jerome (14-8) at 7.

In the other matchups, Sugar-Salem (15-7) takes on top-ranked Bishop Kelly (21-1) and No. 2 Snake River (20-2) battles Emmett (14- 10).

A-3

A new champ will be crowned in this division.

In openers at Capital High in Boise, Teton (19-3) meets Grangeville (17-9), a winner in a cross-district game against Wallace on Saturday; West Side (12-10) goes against Parma (19-5); No. 1-ranked Declo (22-1) battles New Plymouth (20-2); and Potlatch (20-4) faces off with West Jefferson (15-10).

A-4

The smallest division expanded to 16 teams and will begin a day earlier, Wednesday, at two sites: Borah and Bishop Kelly.

Games will be played at both sites the first two days and continue at Borah on Friday. The championship will be played Saturday at the Idaho Center.

North Star League and District I champ Lakeside (19-1), runner-up last year, takes on District III runner-up Wilder at Borah at 5:30 p.m. PST. NSL runner-up Mullan (17-6) will meet District V runner-up North Gem (12-9) at 2:15 at Bishop Kelly.

In other openers at Borah, Oakley (18-6) goes against Valley Christian; Rockland (15-6) meets Dietrich (20-4); and Highland-Craigmont (15-11) faces off with Cascade (17-3).

In other matchups at Bishop Kelly, Troy (20-3) meets Hagerman (17-8); defending champ Nampa Christian (20-4) takes on Carey (14- 11); and Shoshone (17-7) battles Rimrock.

, DataTimes