Vikings stop No. 1
NAMPA, Idaho – Ali Johnson is thankful for another chance.
The Coeur d’Alene High senior point guard has been making the most of her comeback from separate knee surgeries this season. Her latest installment lifted the second-ranked Vikings to a 55-50 win over No. 1-ranked Centennial (22-2) as the State 5A tournament began Thursday at the Idaho Center.
Johnson made 11 of 12 free throws, 7 of 8 late in the fourth quarter, to finish with a game-high 19 points.
CdA (21-3) advances to the semifinals where it will meet Twin Falls (18-5) tonight at 7 PST. Post Falls (20-3) also prevailed, topping Highland 54-49. The Trojans take on Vallivue of Caldwell (20-4) in the first semifinal at 5:15.
In other openers, Vallivue clipped Mountain View 52-43 and Twin Falls edged Eagle 34-33.
CdA 55, Centennial 50: The Vikings have shot free throws early and often in practice this year, but they always shoot them near the end of practice when they’re tired so they can simulate what it would be like shooting them in clutch situations late in games.
For every free throw missed, there are consequences. So suffice to say the Vikings take them seriously.
The Vikings trailed 44-40 with 3:53 to go. That’s when CdA turned up the defensive pressure and made their free throws.
Two foul shots by Johnson with 1:36 gave the Vikings the lead for good at 47-46. But they had to make eight of the next 10 to keep the Patriots at bay.
“If you’re going to win this thing, you have to be able (to make free throws),” CdA coach Dale Poffenroth said. “It only went south on us once and that was that (46-45 loss to Post Falls in the Region I title game). (Gonzaga University men’s assistant) Jerry Krause said it – 20 percent of the points are free throws and 20 percent of the games are won by free throws. You’ve got to practice them.”
Poffenroth couldn’t be happier for the impact Johnson has made this season, especially recently.
“To be the star or the hero or the person that made it happen, it was very big,” Poffenroth said. “It’s a fitting thing that she’s the one that got to do it.”
Four times in the final 2 minutes Johnson dribbled the ball long enough until the Patriots had to foul her.
“I was confident that I could make my free throws,” she said.
Post Falls 54, Highland 49: The start was slow and the finish lacked authority, but in between Post Falls showed why it belongs at state.
The taller Rams overwhelmed the Trojans on the boards, but Post Falls took care of matters at the free-throw line. Sophomore Katelyn Loper made 15 of 15 foul shots and the Trojans finished 25 of 27.
Loper made a 16th free throw that would have tied a state record, but it was waved off by the outside referee because Loper had stepped over the line before the ball hit the rim.
Post Falls seemed to be cruising to victory late in the third quarter when, behind back-to-back 3-pointers from Loper and freshman Tori Davenport, the Trojans increased their lead to 40-27 with 1:47 to go in the period.
But the Rams began to chip away. Finally, a basket by Breanna Van Every off a steal allowed Highland to creep within 46-44 with 4:01 remaining.
The Trojans made their next seven free throws to hold off Highland.
PF coach Chris Johnson appropriately put the victory in perspective. Still, it was a win.
“It definitely was not our best game of the year,” Johnson said. “We kind of expected some jitters. None of these kids have ever played in a state tournament game. Our decision making at times was pretty shaky and we missed a lot of layups.”
Loper thought the game was tighter than it should have been. Overall, though, she thought the Trojans responded well in the big, open-ended arena.
“Even I was a little bit nervous, but you just have to tell them, ‘Just play like you’re at home,’ ” Loper said.
Senior Jenny McVeigh played all 32 minutes, finishing with 14 points, four rebounds and three blocked shots.