Cda Holds Off Boise Back-And-Forth Second-Half Favors Vikings Down The Stretch

Coeur d’Alene literally pushed its way past previously unbeaten Boise High in a physical 66-63 non-league boys basketball win Friday night at Viking Gym.

“I think No. 1, that’s a good team,” Braves coach George Cox said. “That’s the best team we’ve played this year.”

Boise brought a 4-0 record and the No. 5 ranking among state A-1 teams into the game.

“I really thought the game was probably won in the first half,” Cox added. “They forced us into 19 turnovers.”

Senior Jesse Hoorelbeke and sophomore Luke O’Dowd exploited the Braves at the low-post position early and often.

The pair combined for the Vikings’ first 13 points, as Coeur d’Alene established an 18-11 lead.

The 6-foot-3 Hoorelbeke stole the ball and laid it in to start the second quarter.

A bank shot by the 6-6 O’Dowd at 6:58 capped a 12-0 Coeur d’Alene run and extended the lead to 11 points.

The Vikings got excellent relief efforts for Hoorelbeke and O’Dowd from reserve seniors Luke Lee and Erik Hermstad who played the last 4:30 of the half.

Coeur d’Alene led 35-25 at intermission.

Coeur d’Alene offense stalled and the Braves rallied behind a 16-1 outburst keyed by a 1-3-1 halfcourt trap defense in the third quarter

The Braves tied the game at 51-all off two free throws from reserve forward Adam Street at 5:30 in the fourth period, and the teams traded baskets down the stretch.

Senior center Tye Andersen’s basket underneath gave Boise the lead at 60-59 at 2:38.

Junior guard Ben Davis countered with a long 3-pointer off the side at 2:22 and the Vikings never trailed again.

Boise used a timeout with 22 seconds left to set up a final play. But Vikings guard Ryan Corbeill partially block Orchard’s 3-point attempt and O’Dowd pick up the rebound with 1 second left.

“Oh, it was fun,” Hoorelbeke said. “I love getting physical. We tried to the best of our ability to get the ball inside.

“We’ve been working a lot on defense,” Hoorelbeke added. “We’ve always had something left to be desired on defense. We sucked it up and showed some desire.”

Coeur d’Alene (2-3) entertains winless Nampa today at 2:30 p.m. The Braves take on Lake City (3-2) also at 2:30 p.m.

“We know now we can play with anybody; the kids have got to know that,” Bieber said. “They refused to lose. They hung on.”

Coeur d’Alene 66, Boise 63

Boise 11 14 18 20 - 63

Coeur d’Alene 18 17 13 18 - 66

Boise-Orchard 12, Street 6, Bevis 3, Dalton 10, Erickson 0, Jacobsen 5, Kinghorn 2, Rovetto 7, Andersen 15, Atkinson 3.

Coeur d’Alene-J. Davis 7, Milionis 0, Lowry 1, Corbeill 11, Lee 3, B. Davis 6, Hermstad 6, Kovatch 2, O’Dowd 14, Hoorelbeke 16.