Post Falls boys, CdA girls win Coeur d’Alene Inn-vitational basketball titles

In a tug of war between arguably two of the top boys basketball teams in the Pacific Northwest, Post Falls had just enough to knock off the Davis Pirates.

A 3-pointer by Marcus Colbert, followed moments later by a Colbert free throw, allowed Post Falls to escape with a 59-57 win in the fourth-annual Coeur d’Alene Inn-vitational championship game Thursday at North Idaho College’s Christianson Gym.

In the girls title game, Coeur d’Alene routed Federal Way 80-36.

Boys

Post Falls 59, Davis 57: The Montana State University-bound Colbert finished with a game-high 22 points to go with seven rebounds. He was named the tournament’s most valuable player.

Post Falls (9-0 overall) is 12-0 in the tourney. Colbert suggested afterward that the title should be changed to the Post Falls Invitational next year.

“One day we’ll get some respect,” Colbert said. “We’re undefeated and not ranked No. 1, but rankings don’t mean anything to us.”

Post Falls coach Mike McLean agreed.

“I wouldn’t have any problem with that,” McLean said.

Cocky or not, Colbert has a point. The Trojans, who are ranked second among 5A teams in Idaho but will likely jump to the top of the poll next week, seem to only garner respect at tournaments. Earlier this month, Post Falls captured the championship at the Wild West tourney in Reno, Nev.

Davis (6-2) will drop from its perch from atop the 4A state rankings in the Seattle and Tacoma newspaper polls next week. Still, the Pirates gave a good account of themselves against the Trojans.

Neither team had more than a five-point lead in what was a back-and-forth game from the tip.

Davis led 30-25 at half, but Post Falls battled back to forge a 45-45 tie going into the fourth.

A 3-pointer by Colbert, who made five of them, gave the Trojans their biggest lead at 57-52 with 2:24 to go. Davis tied it up at 57-57 before the Trojans got two free throws for the final margin.

“They’re the toughest team we’ve played yet,” Colbert said of Davis. “They’re equally athletic as we are. We just came through down the stretch.”

The Trojans’ Luke Thoreson also was named to the all-tournament team. He finished with 17 points. Post Michael Hillman did a lot of the dirty work inside, finishing with seven rebounds.

McLean said the Trojans will see similar tight games in league.

“Davis is good, but Davis isn’t any better than Coeur d’Alene or Lake City,” McLean said. “The game you saw tonight is what we’re going to face in (league).

We thought two things would beat them. We had to rebound and we wanted to put them in the halfcourt and they wouldn’t like us.”

Davonte Luckett led Davis with 18 points and David Trimble added 14.

Girls

Coeur d’Alene 80, Federal Way 36: It was never a game – nothing like the final a year ago when the Vikings knocked off Federal Way 70-69.

The Vikings started fast and never let off the pedal in the first half.

After a 9-0 spurt to open the game, CdA used a 13-0 run to end the first quarter with a 26-8 lead.

Caelyn Orlandi hit a 3-pointer to give the Vikings a 43-17 lead with 2:18 to go before halftime.

Reserve guard Sara Chalich made a 3-pointer to give CdA its biggest lead at 51-20 with 54 seconds to go before intermission.

CdA’s Kyeli Parker was named the tourney MVP. She finished with 11 points.

“I thought some of my teammates had a better tournament than me but it was cool to get it,” Parker said.

She had lots of support. Orlandi finished with a team-high 13 points, Kendalyn Brainard had 12 and Sydney Williams chipped in 11 with 10 rebounds.

It was a good tune-up for CdA’s showdown with Lewiston at home on Tuesday.

“We did a lot of good things,” CdA coach Dale Poffenroth said. “The movement of the ball down the floor and all those kinds of things. The kids who came off the bench … there was no letdown. The depth is starting to come around. The sophomores are finally starting to step up, and they have to.”

Parker agreed.

“Everything we’re doing is to get us prepared for Lewiston,” Parker said. “Everyone scored and everyone did their part. That’s what we’re trying to do this year – not make it a one-man show.”