Coeur D’Alene’s Defense Shuts Down Sandpoint Vikings Force Many Turnovers, Gain A Share Of Second Place In Border League

Neither the Coeur d’Alene nor Sandpoint boys basketball teams was sharp offensively in their Border League game Saturday.

Perhaps that was caused by the game starting 40 minutes late. The one constant for Coeur d’Alene, though, was defense.

The Vikings made Sandpoint work hard for its points as Coeur d’Alene allowed its fewest points in a 53-35 decision at Bulldog Gym.

The victory vaulted CdA into a second-place tie with idle Lewiston at 8-2. The Viks improved to 10-3 overall. Sandpoint dropped to 2-8, 4-9.

Sandpoint scored what would be nearly half its points in the back-and-forth opening period.

The Bulldogs wouldn’t reach double-digit scoring in the remaining three quarters - largely because of the Viks’ man-to-man defense.

Coeur d’Alene forced seven turnovers in the second period, another five as it pulled away in the third and four in the opening 4 minutes of the fourth quarter before both teams put in their reserves.

Sandpoint’s Adrian Menard hit a 7-foot jumper in the key to cut CdA’s lead to 20-18 with 6 minutes left in the second quarter.

Then, the Viks began to build an advantage that would grow to 21 points late in the fourth quarter.

Point guard Jim Rupp hit a driving layup to give CdA a 29-20 lead at halftime. Rupp scored 12 of his gamehigh 15 points in the opening half.

Rupp opened the third quarter by making his lone shot of the second half, a 3-pointer, that extended the Viks’ lead to double digits for good at 32-22.

In the fourth quarter, CdA’s Lukas O’Dowd completed a three-point play and David Wood made a free throw that made it 51-32 with 4:21 to go.

“Jim Rupp really controlled the ballclub,” Bieber said. “Kevin (DeArmond) and Kurt (Sigler) both played really well, too, especially in the first minutes of the second half.”

DeArmond was the only other Vik to reach double figures, scoring 10 points.

CdA’s easily reached its goal of allowing just 40 points. Offensively, the Viks committed 10 turnovers, two over their goal.

The Viks defeated Sandpoint 60-39 in an earlier league contest.

Stefon Kleinert led Sandpoint with 13 points. Teammate Paul Nieman was held to six, half his average.

(from page C11): Coeur d’Alene 53, Sandpoint 35

Coeur d’Alene 16 13 18 6 - 53

Sandpoint 15 5 8 7 - 35

COEUR D’ALENE - Fetzer 0, Jeff Rupp 0, Chambers 5, Witten 0, Jim Rupp 15, Wood 9, Mellick 0, DeArmond 10, Hoorelbeke 4, Sigler 5, O’Dowd 5.

SANDPOINT - Shelton 2, Nieman 6, Bronk 0, Bowman 2, Watson 0, Menard 3, Gehring 2, Kleinert 13, Singleton 4, Rust 3.

, DataTimes