Rivalry Opens First Chapter Coeur D’Alene, Lake City Boys Meet Tonight For First Time

“That will be the focal point of next year, to beat Coeur d’Alene twice (in league) and to beat them if we play them in districts,” Lake City boys basketball coach Jim Winger said last March following his final game as coach at CdA. “I will do everything to beat their butt.”

It was thought that Jim Winger threw the first fuel on the yet-to-be born rivalry last winter.

Coeur d’Alene coach Larry Bieber said his players have taken Winger’s statement to heart this week.

“They don’t need much motivation,” Bieber said. “They remember what coach Winger said.”

The much-anticipated first boys basketball game between Coeur d’Alene and Lake City occurs tonight at Viking Gym. A big crowd is expected for the 8 o’clock tip off.

Winger said the statement was made with no malice in mind.

“A coach in the fall said when Lake City and Coeur d’Alene play it’s just another game,” Winger said. “That’s fantasy world. You can’t pretend that it’s not important. Reality is it’s not just another game. It’s a game you want to win for obvious reasons. When you play the other school in town you have to win. It’s called a rivalry.”

Winger’s Timberwolves, ranked third in the state poll, opened league last week with an impressive 55-47 win over heavily favored Post Falls. LC is 7-3 overall. CdA is 0-1, 1-9.

In another league game tonight, Sandpoint (4-8), which had a league bye last week, welcomes Lewiston (1-0, 7-4).

In league games Saturday, Sandpoint visits LC and CdA goes to Post Falls (0-1, 9-2).

In a game that could go far in deciding the Intermountain League championship, defending champion Kellogg (2-0, 7-2) visits runner-up Bonners Ferry (3-0, 7-2) on Friday. In another league game, Moscow (1-2, 4-5) goes to St. Maries (0-2, 0-7).

In IML games Saturday, Lakeland (0-2, 1-8) visits Priest River (1-1, 3-6) and St. Maries treks to Kellogg.

North Star League teams dive headlong into conference games this week.

In a single game tonight, Clark Fork (4-5) is at Falls Christian (1-0, 6-5). In a pair of games Saturday, Clark Fork goes to Kootenai (0-1, 4-2) and Mullan (1-0, 4-4) visits Lakeside (0-1, 3-4).

LC at CdA, Round 1

Winger admits it’s going to be different sitting on the visitor’s side of the court tonight.

“I sat on the home side of the floor for 10 years: four as a player and six as a coach (two as head coach),” he said. “That will probably be the weirdest part, watching the game from the other end of the gym.”

On paper, LC is heavily favored. The T-Wolves landed two starters off last year’s CdA team while the Viks had no returning experience.

“I know one thing - 7-3 and 1-9 don’t mean anything,” Winger said. “We’re taking this game extremely seriously.”

Winger doesn’t understand why CdA is 1-9, though.

“Their junior varsity team went 15-4, they had a heckuva team, and three of their losses were close games to our JV team,” Winger said. “I’m surprised they’re not playing better.”

Bieber offered an explanation.

“At the start of the year we were like a JV team playing against varsity teams,” he said. “Lake City is a solid team. It’s going to take our best effort to beat them.”

Like Winger, Bieber also understands the significance of the game.

“It’s the first of two games for the (so-called) city championship,” Bieber said. “I would imagine they’re having more trouble preparing for us than we are for them. We’re kind of an enigma.”

Viks, Bulldogs rematch

In mid-December, Sandpoint’s girls upset then-undefeated Lake City 63-60 in an IEL game.

Lake City (4-1, 16-1) remained ranked No. 1 in the state despite the loss. The teams meet in the rematch Friday at Sandpoint (3-1, 12-3).

Before the showdown, though, Sandpoint entertains Lewiston (3-2, 12-3) tonight in another key game. Lewiston tripped Sandpoint 58-57 in a league opener.

If Sandpoint defeats Lewiston, the Friday battle royal should decide the league championship.