Post Falls Eliminates Cda Boys

The Post Falls High boys basketball team needed balanced play to overcome Coeur d’Alene 64-56 in an A-1 Region 1 loser-out game Thursday.

Actually, the Trojans’ balanced play was needed to beat one main Viking - senior Jeff Rupp.

The win earned the Trojans (9-13 overall) the right to visit Lewiston tonight at 7 p.m.

The Trojans rode their first-half play to victory, shooting 13 of 19 from the field and 8 of 11 from the foul line.

Trojans point guard Scott Klaudt made a 23-footer from the top of the key on an underhand feed from Eli Thornley to score three of his nine consecutive points with 5 minutes left in the second quarter. Klaudt made three foul shots and scored a layin off a steal on the next two Post Falls possessions.

Coeur d’Alene coach Larry Bieber replaced all five of his players on the next substitution.

A 7-foot hook shot by Thornley provided a comfortable 34-10 lead, their biggest of the night. The Trojans held a 36-14 lead at half.

Klaudt scored 17 of his 22 points in the first half, making 6 of 8 from the field and 4 of 5 from the foul line.

Rupp came out in the third period firing. He scored 23 of his game-high 27 points in the second half, including four 3-pointers.

“He really stepped it up hitting those 3s like that,” Bieber said. “He really busted his rear end … His brother (ankle injury) is down, and it’s hard to play without a point guard. That is who he’s been playing with.”

“There was a timeout and I looked up at the clock,” Rupp said. “I thought, this is my last high school game, and I came out and tried to give up the ball and shoot.”

Despite Rupp’s effort, the Trojans’ overall play consumed the Vikings early.

“Early, we really executed well,” Post Falls coach Wade Quesnell said.

They struck hard, using a 12-2 run in the opening minutes, including 6-foot-1 Thornley’s lumbering two-hand slam through traffic to pave the way. Thornley scored six in the first. That was the plan, Quesnell said.

“We decided we would bring Eli up” Quesnell said. “For a stretch of three or four games, Eli wasn’t a factor.”

The Vikings responded timidly, double-pumping shots and hesitating on transition.

“We’re streaky,” Rupp said. “Sometimes we show good offensive aggressiveness. Other times it goes down hill.”

“I thought at times we played very, very well,” Quesnell said. “I think you have to compliment CdA for making the run at the end … We had real bright spots on execution. We still have to pick up our defensive intensity.”

Post Falls 64, CdA 56

Coeur d’Alene 6 8 17 25 - 56

Post Falls 20 16 10 18 - 64

Coeur d’Alene (4-18) - Goodwin 1 2-2 5, Chambers 1 0-0 2, Ja. Rupp 0 0-0 0, Batchelder 0 0-0 0, Je. Rupp 9 5-6 27, Keil 0 0-0 0, Sather 2 0-0 4, Schmidt 1 0-2 2, Gittel 1 2-2 4, Alderman 3 0-0 6, Findley 1 0-0 2, Duplessis 0 2-2 2, Simon 1 0-0 2, Whiteman 0 0-0 0, Wolffe 0 0-0 0. Totals 20 16-26 56.

Post Falls (9-13) - Smith 1 0-0 2, Klaudt 7 7-10 22, Fetters 0 0-0 0, Hindberg 0 0-1 1, McKinnon 1 2-2 4, Garrett 0 0-0 0, Miller 2 2-2 7, Richards 4 6-6 14, Dreckman 1 0-0 3, Thornley 5 1-3 11. Totals 21 19-24 64.

3-point goals - Goodwin, Je. Rupp 4, Klaudt, Miller, Dreckman. Total fouls - CdA 20 , PF 15. Fouled out - (CdA) Chambers. Technicals - None.