Greg Lee

MIDDLETON, Idaho – The Bonners Ferry and Kellogg girls basketball teams did the Intermountain League proud Saturday morning at the State 3A tournament. Both teams captured trophies. For Bonners Ferry, it didn't matter what place was printed on the hardware, though the Badgers were tickled to finish third. For Kellogg, the consolation trophy for fourth wasn't what it was seeking, but the Wildcats were grateful to take home something after seeing their state title hopes dashed two days earlier.

BOISE – Lakeland's string of playing for a state trophy seven straight years toppled onto a large heap of missed shots Friday afternoon. Faulty shooting and foul trouble besieged the Hawks as Bishop Kelly eliminated Lakeland 45-29 in a State 4A girls basketball tournament loser-out game at Timberline High School.

Lakeland High girls basketball coach Steve Seymour is taking a team to state for an eighth straight year and third consecutive season since the Rathdrum school moved up to 4A. Seymour is taking his first team to state with a less than .500 record. While the journey has had more downs than ups at times this year, he said the reward of qualifying for state is just as satisfying, if not more pleasing, than any other season.

NAMPA, Idaho – The North Star League girls basketball teams had inauspicious openers in the State 1A tournament Wednesday. Wallace and Kootenai lost games they could have won despite playing less than their ability. It was especially disappointing for Wallace, the state runner-up last year.

The temptation is to put defending State 3A girls basketball champion Shelley and runner-up Kellogg in the title game before the tournament begins Thursday because they're the only state qualifiers returning from last year. Come Saturday, they could be poised for a rematch. But in the back of Kellogg coach Steve Bourgard's mind, he knows there's probably a Cinderella team lurking. After all, his team fit the bill last year.

A year ago, Wallace High girls basketball coach Kirby Krulitz thought his team had the ingredients to play for a state championship. Turns out Krulitz was right.

The Coeur d'Alene High girls basketball team finds itself in the weakest of the two State 5A brackets, but the Vikings drew a familiar state opponent. The No. 1-ranked Vikings are the lone district champ on their side of the bracket. The problem is Coeur d'Alene opens against the defending state champ Centennial.

The downfall of the Wallace High girls basketball team, as it turns out, was greatly exaggerated. Second at the State 1A tournament a year ago, the Miners returned the core of that team this year. But numerous early struggles made for a pothole-infested road this season.

The 5A Region I girls basketball tournament championship final won't have the anticipated showdown between the city rivals. Post Falls broke up the party Friday when the Trojans topped Lake City for the second time in a week.

The Lake City High boys basketball team wasn't stalling for stalling's sake Friday. The Timberwolves held the ball late in the second quarter and the final 4 minutes of the fourth period because they were in foul trouble. LC coach Jim Thacker thought the tactic was the best answer to getting through the game without losing a key player.

Kent Leiss thought a 6-minute, 19-second stretch from the first into the second quarter was perhaps the best his Coeur d'Alene High boys basketball team has played this season. Coeur d'Alene used that stretch to outscore visiting Post Falls 19-3 as the Vikings opened up a 30-12 lead.

Lake City High girls basketball coach Darren Taylor couldn't have asked for a better start or finish to Senior Night Friday. Taylor's Timberwolves, who moved into the 5A state rankings this week at No. 4, got out fast and concluded strong as Lake City handled Lewiston 72-47 in an Inland Empire League game.