Ev, Wv Should Vie For Crown

It appears the Border League boys basketball championship will come down to a home-and-home series between a pair of Spokane Valley rivals.

West Valley (7-0) was idle Tuesday, but gained a half game on East Valley (7-1) when Lake City avenged last week’s loss to the Knights with a 63-58 win at EV.

West Valley and East Valley will meet for the first time Jan. 29 at EV. The rematch, at WV, will be played Feb. 11.)

The top North Idaho team is Lewiston (6-3), which has lost twice to EV.

Although not mathematically eliminated, none of the Panhandle teams are likely to catch WV.

But there’s still plenty at stake for the North Idaho teams. Under a new format, the top-seeded teams will play their state-qualifying games at home. There will be no single regional tourney site.

So there’s much to be gained from home-court advantage.

Lewiston, which defeated visiting LC in the first half of the season, has a slim lead over the Timberwolves (7-4). The T-Wolves have an edge over Moscow (6-4), which fell 49-47 at LC last week.

All three teams have suffered shooting woes. The top-finishing team among the trio could have as many as six losses.

Games of interest this week are Post Falls at Lake City and Moscow at WV on Friday and EV at Moscow on Saturday.

Things are equally bunched in the Border League girls standings.

Post Falls leads at 10-2, followed by Moscow and Coeur d’Alene at 9-3 and Lake City at 8-4.

Some separation could occur this week.

In a key game tonight, LC visits Post Falls. In the first game between the teams last month, the Timberwolves topped the Trojans 57-43 at LC.

In another rematch Saturday, CdA will visit LC. The Vikings, losers of the first 11 games between the teams, broke through last month, prevailing 56-54 in overtime.

Last weekend revisited

Lakeside’s boys and girls posted a pair of impressive victories Saturday.

The Knights boys upset Lapwai, which was ranked No. 1, 61-58 at Plummer in Central Idaho League play, giving Lakeside its third victory in nine games under first-year coach John Bisson.

The same night, Lakeside’s girls took their second win over defending State A-3 champ Lapwai in a 58-52 win at home.

The win gives the Knights the inside track to the CIL North Division’s top seed in the district tourney.

Loved the River City

When Nick Menegas resigned Monday as head football coach at Lewiston, he talked about some of the highlights of his 23-year career that included an eight-year stop at Post Falls.

Menegas’ Trojans teams were 71-23-2 overall and 49-3 in the Intermountain League including seven league titles.

“We dominated the Intermountain League for almost a decade,” Menegas said. “My (coaching) staff is my fondest memory of Post Falls. They were my very best friends. It was like going to work with your brothers every day.”

Hoops down south

Borah’s girls remain unbeaten at 17-0, but the Lions needed a comeback to beat Capital 41-38 last weekend.

Both Lake City and Coeur d’Alene lost to Borah in season-opening games. Borah was considered the preseason favorite to win the State A-1 title.

Meridian has emerged as the second-best team in the Boise-area Southern Idaho Conference. The Warriors are 14-3.

Borah’s not the only undefeated team in the state, though. Madison of Rexburg is 14-0 and hasn’t been pushed in the weak High Country Conference.

Pocatello’s boys (10-1) remained ranked No. 1 in A-1 this week. But there appears to be much parity statewide.

Burley (6-4) is second to Pocatello in the Region III Conference. In the High Country, Rigby (7-2) leads Blackfoot (7-3). In the SIC, Eagle (10-3) has defeated Capital (11-3) and Borah (10-3).