Moscow Gets Defensive, Retains A-2 District Title

Moscow boys basketball coach Don Dudley might get tired of saying it, but his players never get tired of playing it.

“I know it’s boring, but it’s defense,” said Dudley, describing the common component to most Bears’ wins, including a 57-37 victory over Kellogg in the A-2 District I-II title game Friday at Lake City High.

The Bears (17-4), who will move to A-1 next season, captured their third straight district championship. Moscow’s first-round state-tournament assignment will be Thursday at 5:30 p.m. at Meridian High School against the winner of today’s Soda Springs-Shelley game.

Third-seeded Kellogg (14-9) can join the Bears at state with a win tonight at 7 against No. 2 St. Maries (15-7), which eliminated No. 4 Bonners Ferry 58-31.

“We’ll find out how big our heart is,” Kellogg coach Tony Kerfoot said. “It’ll be our sixth game in nine days.”

Moscow 57, Kellogg 37

The Bears defended every inch of the court, only leaving their adhesive man-to-man to zone inbounds plays.

Kellogg made just 14 of 36 shots. Even more damaging was the Wildcats’ 10-of-22 free-throw shooting.

“They take you right out of your offense, sometimes all the way to the floor,” Kerfoot said, referring to the Bears’ physical play.

Regardless, Kerfoot acknowledged, his team failed to play crisply.

“Our execution was poor,” he said. “We didn’t run our offense well, we missed some easy shots and we missed free throws. Still, you’ve got to hand it to Moscow because they put you in that temperament with their defense.”

It’s a revolving door at the scorer’s table as the Bears constantly substitute. That keeps players fresh, a necessity to reach maximum defensive intensity.

“I learned a long time ago from (former University of Idaho coach) Don Monson that guys who come off the bench and play great defense can play anytime and they never hurt you,” Dudley said.

“We give up something offensively, but I know it’s very difficult for a team to make a run at us because we don’t get tired.”

Case in point: After its first two field goals and a 4-2 lead, Kellogg never made back-to-back baskets.

The Bears survived a shaky start by limiting the Wildcats to three first-quarter field goals. Kirby Brown and Tony Rinaldi combined for 12 points in the second quarter as the Bears took a 25-17 halftime lead.

Moscow pulled away with a nearly flawless offensive performance in the third quarter. The Bears made 6 of 7 field goals, with Darnell Williams’ putback atoning for the lone miss, and 7 of 8 free throws.

Kellogg’s Casey Marek had 15 points before going scoreless in the fourth quarter. The Wildcats had sparse interior production as center Heath Marek, Casey’s cousin, is slowed by a back injury.

Kellogg 6 11 9 11 - 37

Moscow 6 19 19 13 - 57

KELLOGG - Lewis 5, C. Marek 15, Carlson 8, H. Marek 3, Blalack 4, Bircher 2.

MOSCOW - Brown 6, Reynolds 6, Comstock 8, Cosgrove 8, Shupe 2, Rinaldi 13, Gilmore 2, Williams 12.

St. Maries 58, Bonners Ferry 31

The Lumberjacks bounced back from Thursday’s loss to Kellogg by crushing the mistake-prone Badgers.

Mark Raebel scored all 16 of his points in the first three quarters as St. Maries took a 50-22 lead. Derick Driggs chipped in 15.

The Lumberjacks dominated the boards, leading to 52 field goal attempts to Bonners’ 26. The Badgers committed 22 turnovers.

“We came out with a little more fire,” St. Maries coach Todd Bitterman said.

Fourth-seeded Bonners Ferry finished 10-13.

Bonners Ferry 5 7 10 9 - 31

St. Maries 15 19 16 8 - 58

BONNERS FERRY - Bateman 4, Zimmerman 6, Merrill 9, Rice 5, Clark 1, Baker 2, Kucherry 2, Dinning 2.

ST. MARIES - Duffey 5, Willard 7, D.J. Eberlin 1, Driggs 15, M. Raebel 16, Stevenson 6, Holdahl 2, P. Eberlin 6.

All-Intermountain-League team

Kellogg placed three players - Casey Marek, Heath Marek and Brian Carlson - on the All-Intermountain League team, as chosen by the coaches.

Other selections were St. Maries’ Mark Raebel and Derick Driggs, Moscow’s Kirby Brown and Tony Rinaldi, Bonners Ferry’s Todd Bateman, Priest River’s Kevin Behnke and Lakeland’s Kurt Reese.

St. Maries was awarded the Sportsmanship trophy.

, DataTimes