T-Wolves Regain Their Form; Trophy Still A Possibility Lake City Plays Today For Fourth Place

It may have been a day late, but at least the Lake City High girls basketball team will be playing one more day.

The Timberwolves can still bring home a trophy, although it won’t be the big prize they had hoped to win.

Lake City performed a 180-degree turnaround Friday afternoon, and Borah was the unfortunate victim of the Timberwolves’ ire.

The Timberwolves jumped on Borah early and never allowed the Lions any hope for a comeback as LC administered a 64-40 cuffing in a State A-1 tournament loser-out game at the Idaho Center.

LC (24-1) will meet Highland (19-6) for a consolation trophy this morning at 8:15 PST. The T-Wolves can get fourth place with a win.

Highland, which fell to Post Falls in the first round, topped Blackfoot 35-25 in the other loser-out game Friday.

Lake City 64, Borah 40

Although it was a rematch of last year’s state final, there was no talk before or after the game of revenge by the T-Wolves. Heck, they just wanted to redeem themselves after Thursday’s debacle, a 65-49 loss to Centennial.

As far as Borah coach Jim Pankratz is concerned, his team was eliminated by the best team in the state.

“We played the most talented team in Idaho,” said Pankratz, whose team fell to visiting LC 52-33 in a season opener and finishes the season (15-10). “We don’t match up with them at any position. The only hope we had was shooting lights-out and getting some turnovers and not having any foul trouble. None of those things materialized.

“But they’re gone (4 of 5 LC starters graduate) and my top seven kids are back next year.”

The things Borah did poorly LC did efficiently. The T-Wolves made 18 of 33 shots from inside the 3-point arc, made 19 of 22 free throws, outrebounded Borah 33-23, committed five fewer turnovers and avoided foul trouble.

And LC dominated because it had contributions from several players.

Four players scored in double figures. Post Alison Asher led with 15 points, seven rebounds and three blocked shots; Laura Dodge followed with 14 points; Kelley McCabe had 12 points, eight rebounds and four as sists; Lindsay Herbert had 11 points, six assists and four rebounds. Katie Hawn added eight points, four assists and three steals.

LC also played solid defense, something it couldn’t have been accused of doing the day before. The defense bothered Borah’s Danielle Orchard, who followed up an 18-point effort the first day with just two points (both free throws).

“I told them in there (locker room) that this really shows that they’re really true champions,” LC coach Dave Stockwell said. “I was on a team in high school that couldn’t answer the second day after a first emotional loss. Everything we asked them to do - offensively, defensively - that’s exactly what they should have looked like yesterday.”

Whatever hopes Borah had for a second-half rally were quickly extinguished by the T-Wolves in the third quarter.

LC ran its press-breaker and offense well, passing fluidly and finding open shots. The T-Wolves finished with 18 assists. Five of their six baskets in the third period were set up by good passes.

The T-Wolves, who led 33-25 at halftime, expanded the advantage to 48-35 going into the fourth quarter.

Their biggest lead was the final margin.

McCabe and Hawn supported the usual top play of their fellow starters.

“We just promised ourselves that we wouldn’t let the game (Thursday) affect our play today,” said Hawn, who made a career-high two 3-pointers.

Hawn’s first 3-pointer came at a critical juncture in the second quarter, stopping a 9-0 run by Borah.

“Usually, I think about it when I shoot, but I just shot it today. Maybe that’s why I made them,” Hawn said, smiling. “I think we’re ready for tomorrow. We’re going to play just as hard tomorrow - or even harder.”

McCabe complemented Asher in the post.

“We wanted to show everybody that we could come out and play like champions,” McCabe said.

Lake City 64, Borah 40

Borah 15 10 10 5 - 40

Lake City 22 11 15 16 - 64

BORAH - Bell 0, Morgan 0, Green 10, Bates 7, Ilk 2, Phillips 14, Oakley 0, Orchard 2, Spjute 0, Furriman 4, Demott 0, Walter 1.

LAKE CITY - Hayes 2, Hawn 8, Kendrick 2, Bro 0, Herbert 11, McCabe 12, Dodge 14, Asher 15, Stern 0.

, DataTimes ILLUSTRATION: Photo