Made-To-Order Request Filled As Lc Improves Down Stretch

Going into the rematch with the crosstown rival Friday, Lake City High School boys basketball coach Jim Winger wanted a win in any way, shape or form.

He would have taken a one-point decision. Anything to wipe away the sting of an earlier loss to Coeur d’Alene and to snap a three-game losing streak.

What Winger got was a made-toorder victory as his Timberwolves feasted on the error-prone Vikings 78-28 in an Inland Empire League game before an estimated crowd of 2,200 at Lake City.

The win was a 65-point turnaround from the T-Wolves’ 73-58 loss at Coeur d’Alene on Jan. 12. The Viks’ 28 points is a season low.

“We needed this bigger than life,” said Winger, whose team improved to 4-2 in league (tied with Lewiston)

“We played two close ones and lost and then (Tuesday) we played poorly against Cheney,” Winger added. “We’ll celebrate tonight, but the thing about league is you can’t celebrate long. We’ve got to get ready for Sandpoint (tonight).”

The T-Wolves established very early they weren’t going to be upset a second time by the Vikings, who dropped to 2-4, 3-14.

Using an effective halfcourt press and zone defense, LC used 3-pointers by Bryan Kelly and Regan Wilson to open a 10-0 lead before CdA called timeout at the 3:47 mark.

But the T-Wolves forced three more turnovers and Kelly scored two layups in transition as LC pushed the margin to 17-0.

Chris Pederson’s 7-foot baseline jumper with 1:03 left in the opening period gave the Viks their first basket. LC led 19-2 at quarter’s end.

CdA’s shooting woes continued in the second quarter and LC’s intensity seemed to only increase. The T-Wolves led 26-2 before Pederson scored the Viks’ second basket at the 4:12 mark.

Behind Pederson, the Viks had a momentary spurt, cutting LC’s lead to 19 points (31-12). But baskets by Kyle Miller and Mike Thompson helped LC extend its lead to 35-12 at halftime.

Things became more chaotic for CdA in the second half as the winhungry T-Wolves seemed to feed off the Viks’ woes. LC led 56-18 going into the fourth quarter.

Winger emptied his bench in the final period and even the reserves got into the act.

A 3-pointer by Steve Brumley in the closing seconds gave LC the 50-point margin.

The T-Wolves placed four players in double-figure scoring. Brian Russell, playing with a broken left hand, led all players with 15 points and sat out the final quarter. Kelly had 12 and Thompson and Scott Hoover added 10 apiece.

“Every kid played well, there was no weakness to our game tonight,” Winger said. “It was a tremendous amount of desire and hustle.”

Asked how he could explain the turnaround, Winger said, “If I could answer that I’d changed a lot of things back on January 12th. That was a slap in the face to the kids and to me. A majority of it was my fault.”

CdA’s problems can be explained in 28 turnovers, many caused by LC, and 20-percent shooting (11 of 54, 2 of 31 from 3-point range). Pederson led the Viks with nine points.

Still, CdA coach Larry Bieber was upbeat afterward.

“I thought we were ready to play,” Bieber said. “But I’m not faulting these kids at all. You’ve got to give Lake City credit. They really put the pressure on us.”

LC travels to Sandpoint and CdA entertains Post Falls in a pair of league games tonight.

Lake City 78, CdA 28

Coeur d’Alene 2 10 6 10 - 28 Lake City 19 16 21 22 - 78

COEUR D’ALENE Adamen 4, Clute 0, Coppess 1, Corbeill 1, Davis 5, Fink 0, Hermstad 0, Klassen 4, Hoorelbeke 2, Pederson 9, Stewart 2, Wild 0, Zimmerman 0, Doerr 0.

LAKE CITY Thompson 10, Kelly 12, Russell 15, Wilson 10, Hoover 8, Miller 5, Keefer 2, Reiswig 2, Shaw 2, Beadell 6, Brumley 5, Coyle 1.