Trojans Avenge Only Loss, 63-56

Boys basketball

The rematch was far from spectacular offensively, but at least Post Falls coach Scott Moore was half satisfied.

That’s more than can be said of Kellogg coach David Roberts, who couldn’t find many redeeming qualities in his team’s 63-56 loss to the Trojans in a non-league matchup Tuesday.

By avenging a 60-58 loss to Kellogg three weeks ago, Post Falls raised its overall record to 8-1. Kellogg slipped to 6-2.

The Trojans made 5 of 6 free throws in the final 42 seconds - three by guard Ryan Edmonds - to squelch Kellogg’s comeback attempt.

“We took the defense up a notch,” Moore said. “I really don’t think we played that great of defense in the first game at Kellogg. It’s a definite reflection of the character of our team that after shooting as poorly as we did all game we still came away with a (win). It shows this team isn’t going to give up in any situation.”

Roberts doesn’t prescribe to the theory that a loss can be positive. Especially after watching his team commit 23 turnovers, many of which were errors of its own making.

“I told the (players) that I agree with Bobby Knight - I don’t think you learn anything from losing,” Roberts said. “Now we learned a lot from this game, but we could have learned the same things if we’d won.”

Both teams were tight the opening 6 minutes of the game. After Kellogg tied the score at eight with 1:31 left in the first quarter, the Wildcats played from behind the rest of the game.

Post Falls scored the final five points of the opening period and the first two baskets of the second quarter to open a 17-8 lead.

The Trojans widened the margin to 31-14 - their biggest lead - but would hit a scoring drought the final 2:25 of the first half.

Mike McLean took a pass from Brock Alexander for a short shot in the key to put Post Falls ahead at 31-14. But Kellogg ran off the final eight points of the half to cut the lead to 31-26 by intermission.

Post Falls’ 6-foot-6 senior post Darick Pope sat out the first half for disciplinary reasons. But when Pope entered the game at the 6:04 mark of the third quarter, he became a factor immediately.

Pope used a combination of power and finesse moves in the post to score six of his 10 points as Post Falls enjoyed as much as a nine-point lead in the period. The Trojans led 48-43 going into the fourth quarter.

Kellogg got within 56-55 when Travis Fulton made two free throws with 1:28 remaining. But a rebound basket by Pope 14 seconds later and two free throws by McLean pushed the Trojans to a 60-55 cushion with 42 seconds to go.

McLean led the Trojans with 17 points. Edmonds added 12. Kellogg’s Casey Fisher scored a game-high 22 points and Fulton had 12.

Kellogg played without starter Chris Nielson, who was suspended for disciplinary reasons.

Post Falls opens Inland Empire League play Friday, visiting Lake City (6-3). Kellogg, 1-0 in the Intermountain League, returns to league action Friday when it visits Lakeland (0-1, 1-6).

Post Falls 63, Kellogg 56

Kellogg 8 17 18 13 - 56 Post Falls 13 18 17 15 - 63

KELLOGG Van Hoose 0, Little 1, Fulton 12, Behm 5, Jennings 5, Hansen 0, Kohal 2, Fisher 22, Bircher 9.

POST FALLS Curtis 4, Alexander 0, Edmonds 12, Roberts 8, Hollenbeck 0, Pichotta 4, Pope 10, McLean 17, Cudmore 4, Lee 2, Froelich 2.

Pullman 57, Moscow 54

Mark Diestler scored 15 of his 22 points in the fourth quarter as the Greyhounds (6-2) defeated the visiting Bears (3-4).

Matt Wilde added nine points and 10 rebounds for Pullman.

Moscow 14 12 14 14 - 54 Pullman 5 18 14 20 - 57

MOSCOW Barnes 5, Miller 7, Walker 2, Johnson 0, Dudley 7, Lathan 2, Colbert 2, Keep 8, Pierce 14, Hudson 7.

PULLMAN Evermann 2, Donati 2, Berry 0, Wang 6, Kallaher 12, Wilde 9, Yrazabal 4, Diestler 22, Jones 0, Randall 0.

Sandpoint 63, Bonners Ferry 59

Dallas Spielman scored 23 points and dished out 11 assists as the Bulldogs (3-8) up-ended the visiting Badgers (5-2).

Gavin Glindeman had 23 points for the Badgers, but a 10-0 run at the end of the fourth quarter proved to be the difference for Sandpoint.

Bonners Ferry 13 19 15 12 - 59 Sandpoint 15 20 6 22 - 63

BONNERS FERRY Walter 0, Gravelle 9, Glindeman 23, High 2, Holeski 9, LaRue 14, Meeker 0, Stewart 2.

SANDPOINT Herrington 12, Buckmaster 2, Jeffres 5, Spielman 23, Evans 0, Trenholm 17, Smith 4.