Lc Wins Schuh Thing Buzzer-Beating Rebound Forces Rematch Tonight

Jeff Schuh didn’t have time to think about the possible ramifications of missing a wide-open layup in the waning seconds.

He was frankly shocked that redemption landed in his hands shortly thereafter, as the clock ticked down to 2 seconds.

It was equal parts luck and misfortune.

The Lake City wing’s layup with a second left lifted the Timberwolves to a “Hoosiers”-like 61-59 victory over Sandpoint in a frenzied A-1 Region I boys tournament game Tuesday before an estimated crowd of 2,000.

LC’s win forces the if-necessary final tonight that will decide the regional title and automatic state berth. Tipoff for the third game between the teams in six nights is at 7 at LC (16-8).

Sandpoint (15-9) would have captured the regional crown and its first trip to state since 1977-78 with a win Tuesday.

“I knew I’d feel pretty bad if we lost because of me,” Schuh said after having a few minutes to reflect on a delirious finish. “It went too fast for me to think about missing the first shot.”

A summary of the final minute, let alone final seconds, will take longer to explain than it unfolded in real time.

LC, which had effectively limited the production of Sandpoint’s leading scorers (Paul Nieman and Jevon Watson), took a 59-56 lead with 56 seconds left when post Tom Dennis scored a wide-open layup off a midcourt pass from Chad Bramlet.

Moments later, reserve guard Steve Mills, the player LC invited to shoot against its various defenses, hit his third 3-pointer in the period, tying the score with 21 seconds left.

LC zipped the ball up court. Schuh drove baseline and was all alone for what would have been the go-ahead basket. But his shot rolled off the rim.

Sandpoint tried a lob pass down court, but LC guard Jacob Lenz intercepted it at midcourt. He gathered himself and launched a shot, not realizing 4 seconds remained.

That’s where redemption introduced itself to Schuh.

“I saw Jake steal it and I glimpsed at the clock and saw there were 4 seconds left,” Schuh said. “I knew if it (Lenz’s shot) hit off the rim, I’d have a chance to grab it and shoot right away.”

The shot never touched the rim, bounding off the left side of the backboard into Schuh’s hands.

“All I knew was put it in,” Schuh said.

“It says a lot for Schuh,” Sandpoint coach Kurt Lundblad said. “I know him personally and he gives nothing but 110 percent. If there’s a loose ball, you know he’s going to come up with it.”

Lake City coach Jim Winger didn’t even know Schuh was under the basket until he saw him grab the rebound.

“I’m going `Oh, my God, there he is’ and he laid it up. It was like somebody put him there.”

Both coaches had nothing but praise for their opponents. And both coaches expect another battle tonight.

Sandpoint had advanced through the winners bracket to Tuesday’s game with a 62-58 win at LC on Friday.

“I’ve never been a part of one like this,” an exhausted Winger said. “What a great effort by both teams. The last game was good, this one was better and who knows what (tonight) is going to be like.”

Nieman and Watson combined for 46 points in Sandpoint’s win Friday. Tuesday, LC used a triangle-and-two zone to limit the duo to 26 points combined, just one of them in the second quarter when LC rallied from a 19-10 first-quarter deficit.

Nieman led the Bulldogs with 15 points.

“They did a real good job defensively on those two,” Lundblad said. “We need to do something to get them some more shots (tonight).”

Dennis came off the bench to lead LC with 13 points. Connor Quinn had 12 and Schuh added 10.

Lundblad said the Bulldogs gave up too many second-chance baskets.

“They deserved it,” Lundblad said of the T-Wolves. “They played real hard. We gave ourselves a chance at the end. We just didn’t come through and they did.”

Sandpoint 19 10 14 15 - 59

Lake City 10 15 21 15 - 61

Sandpoint (15-9) - Nieman 4 6-6 15, Mills 3 0-0 9, Singleton 1 1-2 3, Watson 4 1-3 11, Aumick 0 0-0 0, Menard 3 0-0 8, Malone 2 0-0 5, Rinaldi 4 0-0 8, Palmer 0 0-0 0. Totals 21 8-13 59.

Lake City (16-8) - Barlow 2 0-0 6, Bramlet 3 2-3 8, Schuh 5 0-0 10, Reiswig 0 0-0 0, Lenz 2 0-0 5, Nipp 3 1-4 7, Stroh 0 0-0 0, Quinn 5 0-0 12, Dennis 5 3-3 13. Totals 25 6-10 61.

3-point goals - Mills 3, Watson 2, Menard 2, Nieman, Malone, Barlow 2, Quinn 2, Lenz. Total fouls - S 12, LC 12. Fouled out - none. Technicals - Schuh.

A-2 District I tourney

Lakeland 65, Kellogg 57

Jared Mudge had a team-high 15 points and nine rebounds as the fourth-seeded Hawks surprised the Intermountain League champion Wildcats in a tournament opener at Kellogg.

Lakeland trailed by 10 points at halftime but opened the third quarter with a four-point play. The Hawks lost to Kellogg 59-46 less than two weeks ago.

Wayne Blalack made 5 of 10 3-pointers for Kellogg, and Mark Mangum added six rebounds.

The tournament picks up Thursday night at Lake City. Kellogg plays Bonners Ferry at 6 in a loser-out game. Lakeland plays St. Maries at 7:30 for a state-tournament berth.

Lakeland 7 16 19 23 - 65

Kellogg 19 14 12 12 - 57

Lakeland (8-12) - Bertsch 9, Gorton 0, Finley 8, Stanford 0, Skidmore 13, Hansen 14, Mudge 15, Hubbard 6.

Kellogg (16-4) - Smith 2, Blalack 19, Wise 2, Oertli 5, Mangum 10, Marek 0, Neff 4, Mann 2, Absec 5, Bircher 8.

St. Maries 63, Bonners Ferry 56

Derick Driggs scored 22 of his 27 points in the second half and added 10 rebounds as the second-seeded Lumberjacks defeated the No. 3 Badgers at St. Maries.

Driggs finished 13 of 16 from the free-throw line and 7 of 13 from the field. Trent Duffey of the Lumberjacks added seven assists, six rebounds and five steals.

St. Maries scored its final 11 points at the foul line.

Bonners Ferry 8 16 9 23 - 56

St. Maries 12 13 17 21 - 63

Bonners Ferry (11-11) - Blanford 0, Carey 0, Carpenter 8, Bateman 11, Villeli 0, Scarlet 6, Elliston 6, Rice 18, Solum 5, Dinning 2.

St. Maries (15-6) - Duffey 12, Hanson 0, Grieser 1, Eberlin 2, Krebs 11, Driggs 27, Harvey 0, Raebel 6, Stevenson 4, Willard 0.

A-3 District I-II tourney

Wallace 69, Timberline 68

Jarrod Lee scored 24 as the Miners eliminated the Spartans at Lewiston High.

Wallace never substituted against the Central Idaho League South Division champions. Danny Fugate scored 20 for Timberline.

The tournament continues Thursday night at Lewiston High. Wallace plays Kamiah (13-8) at 6 in another loser-out game. Lapwai and Potlatch play at 7:30 in a winner-to-state game.

Wallace 16 14 18 21 - 69

Timberline 15 23 19 11 - 68

Wallace (8-15) - Zanetti 8, Meek 15, Sprute 7, Lavigne 15, J. Lee 24.

Timberline (13-9) - Cahill 9, Kristofferson 0, I. McIntosh 12, J. McIntosh 7, Bower 6, Potratz 3, Fugate 20, Lacey 11.

Washington

District 7 3A

East Valley got the ball into Andrew Burgess’ hands and took the game away from Cheney during the first night of district basketball play.

The Knights rallied from a six-point first-half deficit to pick up the victory behind Burgess’ 32-point night to score one of two 77-54 decisions.

Top-seeded West Valley beat Clarkston by the identical score and moves against the Knights 6 p.m. Friday on its home floor.

The first of two berths in next week’s regional tournament against Mid-Valley schools is at stake.

Also at West Valley, at 8 p.m, first-night winners Cheney and East Valley girls teams will play for a regional berth.

The Blackhawks survived a scare by beating West Valley 57-56 in overtime. East Valley won easily over Clarkston, 56-34.