Sandpoint’s Fast Start Spells Defeat For Lewiston

Boys basketball

A solid start went a long way toward helping Sandpoint fend off a furious fourthquarter Lewiston rally, as the Bulldogs held on for a 51-50 victory in an Inland Empire League boys basketball game Thursday night.

The Bulldogs bolted to a 12-0 lead with 1:45 to go in the first quarter. Lewiston came out tight, going 0 for 10 from the field, before guard Ryan Baerlocher found the basket with a rebound conversion at 1:24.

A 9-2 run pulled the Bengals within 14-13 midway into the second quarter.

Five points would be the widest spread the rest the way. Sandpoint led 24-21 at halftime, and the Bulldogs’ advantage was 38-36 going into the fourth period.

The score was tied twice, and the lead changed 10 times in the decisive last quarter.

Sandpoint inched ahead for the final time with 1:11 remaining, following forward Brian Trenholm’s inside basket off an inbounds play that put the Bulldogs up 51-50.

Each team had its chances at the offensive end in the closing 30 seconds, including Lewiston guard Jim Farris, who cast off an errant 3-pointer with 2 seconds left.

”(The Bengals) pose a problem for us with their size,” Sandpoint coach Jack Dyck said. “The way you negate size is hustle. I was proud of the way the kids played. They’re very physical. You can’t see the heart and that is what’s important.”

Bulldogs guard Dallas Spielman’s 24 points topped all players. Trenholm added 19 points and seven rebounds.

Baerlocher and Craig Gilchrist paced Lewiston with seven rebounds each and 14 and 12 points, respectively.

Sandpoint (1-0 in league and 5-8 overall) travels to Lake City in Coeur d’Alene in an IEL game on Saturday.

Lewiston (1-1, 7-5) is at Moscow Saturday for a non-league game. Sandpoint 51, Lewiston 50 Lewiston 4 17 15 14 - 50 Sandpoint 12 12 14 13 - 51

Lewiston - Frei 2, Scharnhorst 0, Baerlocher 14, Farris 0, Gomez 6, Ulrich 4, Gilchrist 12, Smithwick 8, Feider 3.

Sandpoint - Buckmaster 0, Jeffres 1, Spielman 24, Herrington 5, Bouse 3, Trenholm 19, Smith 0.

Clark Fork 57, Falls Christian 56

Mike Gow led the way as the Wampus Cats (1-0, 5-5) overcame a 12-point deficit in the fourth quarter for the North Star League win over the Eagles (1-1, 6-6).

Gow scored 23 points, including two 3-pointers in the decisive fourth quarter, and hit the game-winning free throw with 14 seconds left in the game.

Jared Horton led the Eagles with 18 rebounds.

Clark Fork 12 12 10 23 - 57 Falls Christian 15 15 14 12 - 56

CLARK FORK Lamburth 2, Gow 23, Cheslic 8, Lizotte 8, J. Stevens 14, B. Stevens 2.

FALLS CHRISTIAN Cushman 12, Erk 14, Gelnette 14, McKee 2, Horton 11, Allen 3.