Viks Regroup, Overcome Hawks Stung By 14-0 Lakeland Run, Cda Rallies For 55-43 Victory

A second-half defensive switch nearly backfired on Coeur d’Alene boys basketball coach Larry Bieber.

But senior post Jesse Hoorelbeke and junior wing Ben Davis came to the Vikings’ rescue in a 55-43 season-opening victory over Lakeland on Friday night.

The Hawks picked apart the Vikings’ zone defense, rallying from a nine-point deficit with 2:17 left in the third quarter.

Back-to-back 3-point field goals from reserve Casey Dotts pulled Lakeland to within 36-33 to start the fourth quarter.

Reserve Mike Larsen hit a shot in the lane and senior guard Eric Singer drove the baseline to give the Hawks their first lead of the game at 37-36 with 6:47 remaining.

Another Singer layup, followed by a steal by Larsen, who was fouled on the play. Larsen sank both free throws for a 41-36 advantage at 5:59.

“That’s my fault,” Bieber said. “I switched defenses and went into a zone, which we don’t play very well. I wanted to see if they could shoot their way out of it, which they could.”

Hoorelbeke answered the Hawks’ 14-0 run with consecutive inside baskets and Coeur d’Alene trailed 41-40 at 5:03.

Davis followed with five straight points, including an 18-foot jump shot at 3:59 that returned the lead to the Vikings. His 3-pointer off the baseline at 3:13 made it 46-41.

“I hit one (basket) and just felt like they got me open and I just took the (3-point) shot,” Davis said. “I felt like it was kinda giving us the momentum back.

“It kinda surprised us when they went on a 14-0 run with 5 minutes left and were up a by a couple,” Davis added. “We knew we had time to settle down.”

Coeur d’Alene led 25-15 with 1:52 to go in the second quarter, but the Hawks cut the spread to four points by halftime.

Neither team shot particularly well from the field. Coeur d’Alene made 33 percent of its floor shots and Lakeland 32 percent.

The Vikings picked up 23 points off the free-throw line in 42 attempts, compared to 12 of 24 free-throw shooting by the Hawks.

Coeur d’Alene put four players in double-figure scoring led by Josh Davis’ 13 points.

Dotts’ nine points led Lakeland, which outrebounded Coeur d’Alene 40-32, led by the nine rebounds of 6-foot-5 senior Brett DeBoer.

“You’ve got to give (the Hawks) credit,” Bieber said. “They play awfully hard. They’re big.”

The Vikings are at home on Tuesday against Central Valley of Spokane. Lakeland travels to meet Wallace on Tuesday.

CdA 55, Lakeland 43

Coeur d’Alene 14 11 11 19 - 55

Lakeland 7 14 12 10 - 43

Coeur d’Alene - Goodwin 1, J. Davis 13, Milionis 1, Corbeill 1, Lee 0, B. Davis 12, Hermstad 3, Kovatch 2, Peebles 2, O’Dowd 10, Hoorelbeke 10.

Lakeland - Banks 2, Singer 4, Bevacqua 0, Larsen 4, DeBoer 5, Freed 0, Kowalczyk 4, Rothrock 7, Dotts 9, Mudge 8.