Nsl’s Chances Dim Lakeside, Kootenai Girls Drop Openers At A-4 Tournament

The North Star League’s two representatives in the State A-4 girls basketball tournament suffered similar disappointing fates in opening-round play Wednesday.

Lakeside rallied before falling to Rockland 58-48 in double overtime at Kuna High School.

A couple hours later, Kootenai watched a 12-point lead dissolve quicker than you can say turnover as Garden Valley scored two baskets in the final 10 seconds off Warrior mistakes for a 54-53 decision at Nampa’s Skyview High.

The goal of capturing a trophy by the NSL teams becomes much more difficult. Historically, teams which suffer heartbreaking losses in the opening round usually find it arduous to bounce back the next day.

NSL champ Lakeside (17-5) meets Hagerman (17-8) today at 12:45 PST at Kuna. Kootenai (14-7) takes on Greenleaf Friends (16-9) at 2:15.

Garden Valley 54, Kootenai 53

The Warriors had the game all but won, leading 50-38 with 3:33 remaining.

But they proceeded to collapse, turning over the ball six times.

The two that proved deadly came in the final 15 seconds. One was the result of a controversial foul.

Kootenai guard Shenelle Kraack pulled down a rebound under the Wolverines’ basket. She was standing still when a GV player pushed her out of bounds.

But the official in front of the play called traveling, awarding the ball to GV. Mandi Fowler cut Kootenai’s lead to 53-52 with a basket in the key as the clock moved to :10.

The Wolverines stole an inbounds pass under their basket - it was an ill-advised pass in traffic - and Sami Fry hit a short shot with 2 seconds left for the game winner.

“There were some fouls underneath that should have been called, especially when Shenelle Kraack’s got the ball and she falls out of bounds and she’s got control of her feet,” Kootenai coach Scott Shafer said. “Some girl pushed her out of bounds and that’s a foul.”

Kootenai should never have allowed the game to come down to the final seconds. As upset as Shafer was with the officiating, he countered it with the cold facts.

“We had it and we should have beat them, but we fell apart,” Shafer said. “We got in such a hurry and we didn’t relax.”

Kraack made two free throws to extend Kootenai’s lead to 53-48 with 1 minute left. The Warriors had two more one-and-one opportunities, but didn’t convert.

The loss overshadowed a dominant second-half performance by the Warriors - until the final 3 minutes.

Leading 26-25 at halftime, Kootenai came out in the third quarter and did what it does best by pounding the ball inside to the athletic combination of Jamie Bornits and Annie Goodson.

GV had no answer for the Warriors. Kootenai made 8 of 10 shots from the field in the third quarter to build a 42-33 lead going into the final period.

Bornitz finished with a game-high 20 points and Goodson added 14.

Shafer probably will second-guess himself for pulling his team back and trying to take time off the clock late in the game. He did so to protect his foul-plagued team and to force GV to foul.

“We just got impatient,” said Shafer.

Garden Valley 54, Kootenai 53

Garden Valley 12 13 8 21 - 54

Kootenai 18 8 16 11 - 53

GARDEN VALLEY - Calloway 2, Yearsley 5, Coley 4, Fry 17, Davis 11, Fowler 15, Havens 0.

KOOTENAI - Kraack 4, Damiano 7, Bornitz 20, Goodson 14, Reinhardt 8, Andersen 0, Donohoe 0.

Rockland 58, Lakeside 48 (2OT)

This game probably should never have gone to overtime. But a rare mistake coupled with a late charge gave the Knights a chance to win in regulation.

Trailing 37-32, Lakeside scored a basket without one of its players taking a shot. Rockland’s top player, Liz May, obviously disoriented, took an inbounds pass under the Knights’ basket and put in an uncontested layup - for Lakeside.

The mistake seemed to revive the young Knights.

Among a flurry of late turnovers, Lakeside cut the lead to 46-45 when Angela Flint made a 3-pointer with 32 seconds left.

Lakeside forced two Rockland turnovers. Moments later, sophomore Mariah Middleton was fouled on a short jumper in the key.

With 3 seconds remaining Middleton stepped to the foul line needing one shot to tie, two to win the game. She shot a brick on the first shot, but redeemed herself to force the first OT.

Both teams scored one basket in the first extra session and Lakeside had a chance to win late, but Flint’s shot bounced away at the buzzer.

Rockland took over in the second overtime, holding Lakeside scoreless.

The teams combined for 68 turnovers, 35 by the Knights.

“The turnovers were atrocious,” Lakeside coach Ron Miller said. “We had our chances. But you can’t fault our effort, dang it. Hopefully they can put it away and comeback (today).”

Rockland 9 18 8 11 2 10 - 58

Lakeside 9 8 13 16 2 0 - 48

ROCKLAND - Kress 7, L. May 24, E. Farr 12, Permann 11, Ja. Farr 2, M. May 0, Nelson 0, Robinson 2.

LAKESIDE - McPeak 2, Flint 15, Mi. Middleton 7, Kolar 9, Kelley 2, Ma. Middleton 13, Fuchs 0, Mullen 0, Silvers 0.

, DataTimes ILLUSTRATION: 2 Color Photos