T-Wolves Hold Off Post Falls Defending A-1 Champ Needs Team Effort To Beat Trojans
An entire team effort boosted Lake City past scrappy Post Falls 57-47 in an Inland Empire League girls basketball game on Thursday night.
The Timberwolves, defending state A-1 champions and ranked No. 5 in the current state poll, outscored the previously unbeaten Trojans 37-25 in the decisive second half.
It was the fourth straight win for Lake City, which improved to 5-3. It was the Trojans first loss in six games.
“Our team needed to get fired up,” Timberwolves sophomore forward Lindsey Herbert said. “We were just kind of dragging the first half. We haven’t come together as a team yet, but everybody played to their potential.”
Herbert and junior guard Katie Hatrock combined for 22 second-half point to rally Lake City.
Post Falls clawed its way to a 22-20 halftime lead, as freshman forward Janelle Ruen converted a rebound with 2 seconds left.
The Trojans fell behind 6-0 in the first 3 minutes of the game, but reeled off 10 unanswered points to forge a four-point lead to start the second quarter.
Herbert watched the last 3 minutes of the first half from the bench, as did Post Falls standout Heidi Umthun in the last 2 minutes, after each picked up their third fouls.
“(The Trojans) really controlled the tempo in the first half,” Lake City coach Dave Stockwell said. “They’ve really improved. The first half they really played with good intensity.”
Lake City shifted gears to start the third quarter. Sophomore post Alison Asher’s inside basket gave the Timberwolves the lead for keeps at the midway mark.
Herbert converted a driving left-handed layup into a three-point play at 3:26 for a 31-26 Lake City lead, and Umthun picked up her fourth foul on a charge at 3:15.
And the Timberwolves capitalized on Umthun’s absence, extending the lead to nine points.
Hatrock’s 3-pointer along the baseline with 5:49 to go in the fourth quarter gave Lake City its widest lead at 41-29.
Umthun scored nine of her game-high 19 points in the fourth quarter, including a left-handed layup at 3:11 that closed the Trojans to within 47-41.
Ruen finished with 16 points and a game-high 12 rebounds, helping Post Falls to a 37-29 rebound advantage.
But the Trojans committed 31 turnovers.
“The last time we played them we lost 63-17,” Post Falls coach Chris Johnson said. “We were definitely not going to have a repeat performance (like that). The kids were confident we were going to win this game. I’m confident the kids are going to improve.”
Lake City plays host to Coeur d’Alene in an IEL game on Saturday. Post Falls travels to Colville for a non-league game that same night.
Lake City 57, Post Falls 47
Lake City 6 14 16 21 - 57
Post Falls 10 12 7 18 - 47
Lake City-Jacobson 6, Hatrock 14, Tolzmann 0, Telford 6, Stetson 7, M. Asher 0, Herbert 17, A. Asher 4, Dodge 3.
Post Falls-Klaudt 0, Umthun 19, Swanstrom 0, Waltz 5, Thomson 2, Ruen 16, Glaser 5, Beatty 0.