Kellogg boys state-bound

The Kellogg High boys basketball team is headed to state.

Idaho High School Activities Association executive director Bill Young said Sunday that the referees’ decision to assess a technical foul on Weiser for excessive timeouts was upheld.

Kellogg senior Jacob Conboy made both free throws as the Wildcats prevailed 70-68 over Weiser in overtime in a 3A state play-in game at Craigmont on Saturday.

“By rule, (the referees) acted properly in administering the violation,” Young said.

Kellogg had the ball under Weiser’s basket with 5 seconds remaining and the score tied 68-all, first-year Wildcats coach Kieth Finkbeiner said. Kellogg attempted a long pass, but it was intercepted by Weiser.

Finkbeiner said the Weiser head coach immediately started asking for a timeout. But Weiser wasn’t granted a timeout and the clock expired.

As the players from both teams headed to their benches, Finkbeiner asked one of the referees why he hadn’t granted Weiser a timeout. Finkbeiner said the referee told him and his assistants that he didn’t give Weiser a timeout because he knew Weiser didn’t have any timeouts remaining.

The Kellogg coaches argued that Weiser should have been assessed a technical foul for asking for a timeout when it didn’t have any. The referees conferred and came to the same conclusion. They assessed a technical and Conboy made both free throws. The referees also put 2 seconds on the clock – at the point they believed Weiser requested a time out. Kellogg inbounded the ball and time expired.

“I was excited yesterday (Saturday) at the end of the game, but in the back of my mind I knew Weiser was going to challenge it,” Finkbeiner said. “Today (Sunday) there’s just a lot of relief and excitement – and a sense of accomplishment that we did it.”

Kellogg, which is making a second straight trip to state, finished fourth last year, earning a trophy.

Young said he received documentation from the referees, the coaches from both teams and the timekeeper. He received rules interpretations from the state rules interpreter, District II commissioner Jim Wilund, and the National Federation of State High Schools rules interpreter before deciding to uphold the referees’ decision.

“I feel sorry for everyone involved that had to go through it,” Young said. “At least we were able to resolve this without creating more hardship.”

Had the decision not been upheld, the teams would have been brought together to play another 4-minute overtime period, Young said.

Kellogg (17-7) and Bonners Ferry (16-6), the Intermountain League and District I champ, head to state, which will begin Thursday at Meridian High School in Meridian. The IML teams find themselves on the same side of the bracket. BF opens against defending state champ Snake River (16-8) at 12:15 p.m. PST and Kellogg takes on 2005 runner-up Shelley (19-4) at 2.