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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Trojans outplay T-Wolves

No team had matched the Lake City boys basketball team’s defense or effort in the first half of Inland Empire League play.

That changed Tuesday when the No. 4-ranked Post Falls Trojans outplayed top-ranked Lake City 53-40 at LC.

Post Falls (12-3 overall, 4-2 IEL) tightened the league race by handing league-leading Lake City (13-3, 6-1) its first league defeat and snapping a nine-game winning streak. One of LC’s wins in that stretch was a 58-42 decision at Post Falls.

“I watched the film from the first game and it wasn’t an X’s and O’s problem why Lake City beat us the first time,” Post Falls coach Mike McLean said. “It was a lack of offensive and defensive effort by us. We had to decide that we need to do what we want to do instead of always adjusting to what the other team does. I thought we did tonight.”

It started from the tip. Post Falls penetrated LC’s defense early, making four shots in the key area, and the Timberwolves never dictated things like they did the first time the teams played.

LC coach Jim Winger wondered afterward if he overhyped his team for the game. He told them that a win would put them in good shape as league play began to wind down.

“I may have pumped the game up too much and got them too fired up and wound up,” Winger said. “We were very uptight. We didn’t play free and easy very much at all, especially early. But I certainly think Post Falls did a great job. What we did to them last time they did to us. They executed their stuff very well. So they deserve most of the credit.”

It was apparent that neither team was going to back down in terms of intensity. A skirmish broke out midway in the second quarter and students rushed the floor. Officials from both schools were able to keep things from getting out of control.

After the referees huddled to sort things out, LC junior post Wes Beusan was ejected and a technical was called on Post Falls senior wing Justin Carter. Beusan came off the LC bench and threw a punch. He will have to sit out one more game.

LC tied the game twice in the third quarter, but the Trojans took control on back-to-back 3-pointers by Carter and Connor Hill to close out the period.

A free throw by Logan Frederickson pulled LC within 41-36 with 5:43 to go, but that was as close as the T-Wolves would get.

The Trojans outscored LC 12-4 to pull away.

Post Falls had a balanced offensive effort.

Hill, who made three 3-pointers, led the way with 11 points and Shawn Reid and Marcus Colbert had 10 each. Ben Frisbie led LC with 11.

Coeur d’Alene 78, Sandpoint 39: Devon Austin led six players in double figures with 17 points, and Connor White had 11 points and eight assists to lead the host Vikings (7-10, 3-4) past the Bulldogs (2-10, 0-7).

CdA’s Deon Watson and Chad Chalich combined for 15 rebounds.