Numbers Game Goes Off Scale In Trojan Gym

Here are some random thoughts as the winter sports season rapidly approaches the finish line:

Not everybody who wanted to watch the Post Falls-Lake City basketball showdown last Saturday in the A-1 Region I championship game at Post Falls had the opportunity.

It’s believed that about 300 fans were turned away when the standing-room-only crowd swelled to nearly 2,000, about 200 more than capacity at Trojan Gym.

Post Falls athletic director Sherie Patano said the ticket booth was closed at tipoff. “We felt we were at capacity,” she said.

Patano said building specifications indicate that the gym will seat 2,250. But that would be 2,250 anorexic people, not 2,250 folks the size of, say, Lake City principal John Brumley (ha, ha, just kidding, John).

Afterward, 1,750 ticket stubs were counted, Patano said. That count doesn’t include pep band members from three schools, the players from four teams, those who used state activities association passes and “others who figured a way in without paying,” Patano said.

Conservatively speaking, the schools probably turned away $800 in gate receipts.

Which raises this thought for consideration by school officials: With five teams in the league and a sixth, Lakeland, expected to join in 1996-97, the regional tournament should be played at a site capable of seating crowds exceeding 2,000.

Either hold the tournament at a neutral site, such as North Idaho College, or let the school with the largest seating capacity, Lake City (2,700), be the host.

Allowing a league school to play host to the tournament every year wouldn’t be a precedent in Idaho.

The District III Tournament in Boise is played every year at Capital High School because a) it’ll handle large crowds and b) it’s centrally located.

So, here’s the solution: Hold the regional every other year at NIC, when the men’s and women’s basketball teams are out of town, and hold it the alternate years at Lake City.

There’s no way the small gyms at Sandpoint and Lakeland can host a tournament with crowds similar to Saturday’s.

Just what did that rolled-up sign on orange-colored poster paper say, waiting to be unveiled and hanging behind the west basket at Trojan Gym during the Lake City-Post Falls title game?

Our guess is it said something like “On to state”.

We also understand that a celebration was planned afterward with all the appropriate party fixin’s.

“It was actually a party to celebrate the league championship,” Patano said. “I’m sure they’d hoped to celebrate other things, too.”

The celebration lost some of its fizz. The Trojans hope to have something to commemorate if they earn a state berth Saturday in a playoff at Grangeville.

If Post Falls wins Saturday, the “On to state” celebration should probably be spontaneous instead of planned.

At least one more person should have been allowed in Trojan Gym Saturday.

As it turned out, the Lake City bus driver had to sit in the bus and listen to the game on the radio after being turned away at the door.

At least he had the company of a friend, KVNI sports broadcaster Jeff McLean.

McLean will broadcast all Lake City games at state and will do the same for Post Falls if the Trojans qualify.

A big thank you to Inland Empire League officials who have chosen to come into alignment with Washington schools and play varsity basketball games at 7:30 p.m.

Most non-league junior varsity games will begin at 5:45, while league tripleheaders (sophomores, JV and varsity) will begin with the sophs at 4:15, the JV at 6 and the varsity at 7:30.

The move is win-win for students. The earlier starts get them home earlier and allows media of all types to get more scores on TV broadcasts and in the newspapers the next morning.

It would be equally appreciative if the Intermountain League and North Star League schools would consider adopting the same game times.

Lake City may have the longest break before playing at the State A-1 Tournament, which begins March 2-4 at Idaho State University’s Holt Arena, but at least it’s going to state.

Lake City coach Jim Winger will keep his team sharp during the 11-day wait.

Winger is hopeful that this, his third state-tournament team in three years, will bring back something to show for its effort.

“I think we have a heckuva shot to do very well, especially if we can stay on top of our game for the next week and a half,” he said. “If we go down and play like we did (at regional), I think we’ll do some good things.”

Qualifying for state early could turn out to be a big advantage for Lake City.

Winger will fly to Boise on Friday to watch the District III championship game between No. 1-ranked Centennial (22-0) and Capital (16-6).

Then he’ll drive to Idaho Falls to catch the playoff game between the District VI No. 3 team and Burley, the Region III runner-up. Lake City draws the winner in its state opener.

And if the District VI championship game goes to the “if-necessary” game Saturday, Winger will be able to watch it, too.

“I could end up seeing all the teams in our half of the bracket,” he said.

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