Timberwolves Aiming To Survive Another Shootout Lake City, Two Other Defending Champs, Return For Girls Basketball Tournaments
Three of four state girls basketball champions will be out to defend their Real Dairy Shootout titles when the tournaments are held next week in the Twin Falls area.
Reigning state champions Lake City (A-1), Shelley (A-2) and Clearwater Valley (A-3) return while a new champion will be crowned in the A-4 division after Highland-Craigmont was eliminated at district.
Here’s a look at the state qualifiers in each classification and first-round games. The tournaments begin a three-day run Thursday at their respective sites.
A-1
At College of Southern Idaho in Twin Falls, Region I champion Lake City (13-7 overall) takes on District III third-place finisher Nampa (15-9) at 2:15 PST.
In the other game in LC’s bracket, traditional qualifiers Highland (22-1), the District IV-V champion, and Centennial (18-5), District III runner-up, meet in the tournament’s opening game.
In the other bracket, Region I runner-up Sandpoint (18-3) meets District VI champion Blackfoot (22-3) in the nightcap at 7. In the other game, District III champion Borah (23-0), the lone undefeated team in all classifications and ranked No. 1 in the final poll, takes on Pocatello (19-7), a cross-district playoff winner Saturday.
A-2
At Wendell High School, the two teams favored to win a state championship, Moscow and Sugar-Salem, are seeded in the same half of the bracket.
District I-II champion Moscow (20-1) meets defending champion Shelley (19-7), a cross-district winner, in the next-to-last game at 5:30, followed in the nightcap by District VI champion Sugar-Salem (21-1) taking on District III runner-up Bishop Kelly (19-4) at 7.
In the weakest bracket, District I-II runner-up Bonners Ferry (15-7) takes on District IV champion Jerome (16-6) at 12:45. Immediately following the tourney opener, District V champion Preston (17-5) meets District III champion Middleton (19-4).
A-3
At Twin Falls High School, in an example of odd seeding, Central Idaho League foes Clearwater Valley (15-6) and Grangeville (19-5) could end up facing off in the semifinals.
District II champion Clearwater Valley meets cross-district qualifier Challis (17-6) at 5:30, while District II runner-up Grangeville takes on District III champion Fruitland (14-9) at 7.
In the other bracket, District VI champion Teton (17-5) takes on cross-district qualifier Valley (19-7) in the tourney opener at 12:45 while District IV champion Glenns Ferry (19-4) goes against District V champion West Side (18-6) at 2:15.
A-4
At Jerome High School, District I champion Lakeside of Plummer (15-6) returns for a second straight year and takes on District III runner-up Cambridge (13-11) in the tournament opener at 12:45.
Troy (19-4), which emerged as District II champion from the highly competitive Whitepine League, meets District IV runner-up Carey (15-6) in the other game in the top bracket at 2:15.
In the other bracket, District V-VI champion Leadore (15-6) goes against cross-district winner Raft River (17-8) at 5:30, while District IV champion Dietrich (23-1), top-ranked in the final poll, meets District III champion Nampa Christian (20-3) at 7.
All four state title games will be featured at CSI on Saturday.
In the first time in the history of the girls’ tournaments, the A-1 and A-2 finals will be televised live across cable outlets statewide, including Coeur d’Alene. Highlights of the A-3 and A-4 finals will be broadcast between the A-1 and A-2 finals.
The United Dairymen of Idaho is sponsoring the live broadcasts.
, DataTimes