Cda Takes High Route For Victory

A-1 Region I girls

The Coeur d’Alene High girls basketball team reached cruising altitude and landed smoothly with a 48-34 victory over Lewiston in an A-1 Region I opener Tuesday.

Except for dealing with changes in Lewiston’s defense, turbulence was rare as the Vikings’ crew of inside players dominated the scoring and rebounding.

Shaylia Davis, CdA’s 6-foot post, piloted the team with a game-high 13 points, including a 5-of-5 effort from the foul line. Davis played a strong high post, and had little trouble scoring, or rebounding, against the Bengals. She led the Viks with eight boards, six in the first half.

“Last time they doubled her,” Vikings coach Bill Pratt said. “We were able to shoot from outside. This time, they came at us outside with traps and we responded real well.”

Indeed they did. Forwards Krissi Ruiz (5-10), Brittany Douglas (5-11) and Lorin Griffitts (5-10) added eight points apiece for the Viks. Griffitts scored six in the second quarter, all from close range.

Pratt said their points complemented their rebounding.

“Our board game with all of our posts has really stepped up,” Pratt said. “We wanted to make sure we controlled the boards and let the offense take care of itself.”

The Vikings (16-5 overall) used sharp passing to set up close-range shots for inside players who finished. The Viks shot 21 of 42 overall, 11 of 19 in the second half.

“They were really efficient getting it inside and having patience,” Lewiston coach Pat Zink said as his team slipped to 8-13. “We tried to switch things around, but they countered with great offensive execution.”

Rachelle Gill scored a layin through traffic to bring the Bengals within 24-17 at intermission. It was the closest the Bengals had been since the middle of the first quarter. Janelle Andrews and Carmen Zobel led the Bengals with seven points apiece.

Shaylia Davis used a give-and-go feed in the key from guard Kari Lenz to provide a comfortable 46-25 lead early in the fourth. CdA’s defense slowed the Bengals’ offense to 15-of-36 shooting and limited the Bengals to eight shots in each of the second and third quarters. The Viks were careful too, fouling just eight times. The Bengals went to the line just once.

“They played great defense again against us,” said Zink, whose team will host Sandpoint Thursday. “They’re No.2 and (league) co-champions for a reason, and they showed it tonight.

The Vikings host third-seeded Post Falls Thursday night game at 7. .

Pratt said when his players heard they would be playing Post Falls they got pretty excited.

“They beat us twice,” Davis said of the Trojans. “Janelle Ruen and Desiree Johnson are their team. If we shut those two down we have a chance.”

Coeur d’Alene 48, Lewiston 34

Lewiston 4 13 6 11 - 34

Coeur d’Alene 12 12 16 8 - 48 Lewiston (8-13) - Benner 0 0-0 0, Stellmon 1 0-0 2, Zobel 2 2-2 7, Gill 3 0-0 6, Sullivan 0 0-0 0, Andrews 3 0-0 7, Weaver 0 0-0 0, Brudie 0 0-0 0, Bausch 3 0-0 6, Peterson 1 0-0 2, Spencer 0 0-0 0, Mattoon2 0-0 4.

Totals . 15 2-2 34. Coeur d’Alene (16-5) - Lenz 0 0-0 0, Hauck 0 0-0 0, Stranger 1 0-0 2, Holte 0 0-0 0, Zimmerman 0 0-0 0, Roetter 0 0-0 0, Vig 0 0-0 0, Hail 0 0-0 0, Ruiz 4 0-0 8, Douglas 4 0-2 8, Bielec 3 0-2 7, Griffitts 4 0-0 8, Baracco 0 0-0 0, Budvarson 1 0-1 2, Davis 4 5-5 13. Totals 21 5-10 48.

3-point goals - Bielec, Zobel, Andrews. Total fouls - Lewiston 6, Coeur d’Alene 8.