Bulldogs end long drought
You’ll have to excuse the Sandpoint Bulldogs for stopping to ask for directions on their way to the Idaho State 4A boys basketball tournament.
You see, it’s been a while since they’ve been there – a long, long while.
The Bulldogs survived a physical contest, a frantic comeback by Post Falls, and a career-high 45 points by Trojans senior guard Scott Stockwell to pull out a 71-63 overtime win Friday in the title game of the 4A Region I tournament at The Arena in Post Falls.
The win sends the third-seeded Bulldogs (14-8) to the March 3-6 state tournament at Albertson College in Caldwell, their first appearance since 1978.
Sandpoint will open against the District III runner-up. Their opponent and game time have not yet been determined.
Top-seeded Post Falls (14-8) will host No. 2 Moscow (16-6) at 7 p.m. Tuesday in a loser-out game. Moscow defeated Lakeland 53-47 on Friday.
The winner of the PF-Moscow game will meet the District III third-place team in a play-in game on Feb. 26 at Highland High School in Craigmont for a second berth to state. The game will begin at 1:30 p.m..
Sandpoint almost let this one get away.
Post Falls battled back from an 11-point, third-quarter deficit to tie it on a leaner from the baseline by Stockwell. When Sandpoint couldn’t score in the final moments, the game went into overtime.
It didn’t look especially good for the Bulldogs going into the extra period. Not only had the momentum shifted to Post Falls, but senior post Ben Mitchell was on the bench with his fifth foul which he picked up with 2:35 left.
“I just thought that we’ll have to work with it,” Sandpoint senior guard Blake Mahler said of Mitchell’s absence. “We’ve worked through situations like that before. Everybody just stepped it up and got the job done.”
In the extra period, it was all Sandpoint.
The Bulldogs scored three quick buckets to grab a 67-61 lead and Post Falls was forced to foul. Sandpoint converted on just enough of its free throws (4 of 8) to hold on.
Post Falls didn’t score in overtime until Stockwell hit a runner with 12 seconds left.
Elated Sandpoint coach Tyler Haynes was glad to see the 27-year drought – the longest current streak among large schools in Idaho – finally come to an end.
“None of these kids were even born yet,” Haynes said of Sandpoint’s last state-tournament trip. “I sure don’t remember it. I was only 7 years old. But believe me, I’ve heard the number 27 enough this year.
“The kids are just excited about what they’ve accomplished this year. I’m very proud of these guys. Their intent was to win the district championship and go to state. They played extremely hard and never gave up.”
Neither did the Trojans.
Down 50-39 midway through the third quarter, Post Falls began its comeback.
Stockwell hit a layin and a jumper in the key to cut it to 50-43.
After Sandpoint’s Paul DiBenedetto got inside for an easy one, Stockwell cut it to 52-46 with a 3-pointer from way out top to make it 52-46.
The Trojans continued to creep back in the fourth quarter. Down 60-52 with just 1:40 to go, junior Zach Deines’ layin and five points by Stockwell sandwiched around a free throw by Sandpoint’s Chris Hepperly made it 61-59.
When Chase Lowther missed the front end of a one-and-one with 36 seconds remaining, Post Falls had one more shot. With 25 seconds left, Stockwell converted his baseline runner to send it into overtime.
Stockwell, who beat Sandpoint twice during the regular season with long-range shots in the final moments, wasn’t given the chance in this one. Sandpoint’s fast start in overtime made sure of that.
Post Falls coach Dave Stockwell pointed to Sandpoint’s ability to hit the shots they needed to as the key to the game. The Bulldogs shot better than 46 percent.
“I’ve never seen them shoot like that before,” coach Stockwell said. “They just lit it up in the first half. If they shot like they did the other two times we played them, then we win the ballgame.”
The game’s opening minutes set the tone for a wild finish. Stockwell dueled with Sandpoint’s Hepperly.
Hepperly opened with two quick 3-pointers for the Bulldogs and Stockwell answered with the Trojans’ first eight points.
Hepperly finished the first quarter with nine points and Stockwell had 17 of Post Falls’ 21 first-quarter points.
“We played as good a defense as I think you could play on (Stockwell),” Haynes said. He played so hard and with so much intensity. He’s just a great player.”
Stockwell made four 3-pointers and was 13 of 14 from the line. He was the only Trojans player in double figures.
Mahler and Mitchell each had 18 for Sandpoint, and Hepperly finished with 17.
“We battled back from pretty far down to tie it,” Stockwell said. “We’ve gone through the back door before. We’ll do it again.
Moscow 53, Lakeland 47: Moscow rode three double-digit scorers to a 53-47 win over Lakeland at Moscow, ending the Hawks’ season. Paul Wimer pumped in 15 points and John Mosman and Jake LeFors each added 13 to lead the Bears, who face Post Falls in a loser-out game Tuesday. Phillip Viebrock scored 14 points to lead Lakeland.