Priest River looks for boys basketball coach after firing Nick Ivie

First-year Priest River boys basketball coach Nick Ivie has been fired.

Ivie, a Priest River graduate, didn’t coach in the Spartans’ final regular-season game last week and wasn’t with the team Monday at the 3A District I tournament at North Idaho College, where the Spartans lost 73-41 to Kellogg.

“It’s a personnel issue and all questions must be taken to the district office,” Priest River athletic director Jared Hughes said.

Junior varsity coach Mark Schulz and C team coach Kevin Wylie were assigned to co-coach the team the rest of the season.

Priest River struggled this season, going 0-6 in the Intermountain League. Ivie, whose previous coaching experience was a junior high team, is a sports writer for the Priest River Times, a weekly newspaper.

Ivie was hired after the Spartans went 1-21 last year.

Priest River will play Timberlake, a 46-44 overtime loser to Bonners Ferry on Wednesday night at NIC. Bonners Ferry and Timberlake meet in the other district game.

Bonners Ferry 46, Timberlake 44 (OT): Caleb Blackmore made the game-winning shot with 5.2 second left in overtime to lift the Badgers past the Tigers. Blackmore scored six of his 16 points in overtime.

Kaleb Stockton added 10 points for the Badgers.

Brandon Hausladen scored 19 points and Thomas Hauck added 10 for Timberlake.

Kellogg 73, Priest River 41: Tucker Gust had 19 points and five steals to lead the Wildcats, and Gus Colburn added 12 points with four assists and three steals.

Marcus Mathews scored 11 points to lead Priest River.

Idaho 4A Region I

Carlos Collado scored six of his 15 points in the fourth quarter to help Sandpoint pull away and beat Moscow 51-41 in a 4A Region I loser-out game at NIC.

Sandpoint will play Lakeland for the region championship Wednesday night at NIC.

Davin Norris added 10 points for the Bulldogs. Jack Akey led Moscow with 12 points.