Lakeland Doesn’T Let Up Against Priest River

So, just how convincing was Lakeland’s 63-33 win Wednesday over Priest River in the A-2 District I girls basketball championship?

The score may provide some insight, but consider these numbers.

Priest River, the No. 2 seed, ended the first half with more turnovers (12) than points (nine).

The Spartans, who scored their first basket with 5:57 left in the first quarter to make it 3-2 Lakeland, failed to score again for more than 9 minutes (Lakeland 14-5).

Priest River’s leading scorer and Intermountain League player of the year, Angie Turner, was held to four first-half points (she finished with 10) as Lakeland built a 30-9 halftime lead.

That’s what Lakeland’s defense can do to you.

The Hawks, trading in their potent offense in favor of a stingy defense, throttled the Spartans in front of a crowd of about 500 at North Idaho College’s Christianson Gym.

With the win, Lakeland (19-1) secured the District’s top seed in the Idaho State A-2 tournament to be held at Nampa High School beginning Feb. 17.

Priest River (16-6) will play St. Maries (a 61-54 winner over Bonners Ferry Wednesday) in a loser-out game tonight at 7:30 at NIC. The winner will play Grangeville Saturday at NIC at 7 for a second state berth.

So just another day at the office for the Hawks? Maybe, but the Hawks took a little different route to get to work.

Lakeland, which averages around 65 points a game, got its points despite shooting less than 33 percent for the first half.

But the Hawks aggressive defense took away any hope of a Spartan challenge by forcing turnover after turnover. Priest River, shooting 20 percent in the first half, never threatened.

The Hawks’ early charge was led by Jessica Austad. The sophomore guard was perfect on 4 of 4 shooting and had 10 points at the break. And she was quick to point out that she had a little extra motivation as it was the Spartans who knocked Lakeland out of the tournament last year.

“Last year, we started out fast (against Priest River in the district tourney) and then we let down in the second half and we had a disappointing loss,” Austad said. “We kinda wanted revenge on them. Our coach said if we played good defense, then the rest of it would come.”

And coach Steve Seymour was definitely pleased.

“Defensively, I liked the way we got after it tonight,” Seymour said. “Offensively, we were a little bit tight but we knocked down some big shots from outside. And Priest River played good defense, too.”

Austad was joined in double figures by sophomore Ashley Jamison who also had 10.

For the Spartans, senior reserve Shandra Guthrie matched Turner’s 10 points.

Lakeland 63, Priest River 33

Priest River 2 7 12 12 33

Lakeland 12 18 16 17 63

Priest River (16-6) - Troudt 0 0-1 0, Brooks 1 1-1 3, Rasmussen 0 0-0 0, Oscarson 1 2-4 5, Naccarato 0 0-0 0, Mack 0 0-0 0, Yount 2 1-4 5, Turner 4 2-3 10, Lemm 0 0-0 0, Cork 0 0-3 0, Guthrie 3 4-4 10. Totals 11 10-20 33.

Lakeland (19-1) - Douglas 2 0-0 6, Jamison 4 1-4 10, Hansen 3 1-1 7, Von Behren 3 0-1 6, Desmarais 3 1-1 7, Austad 4 0-1 10, Harwood 2 0-0 4, Egbert 3 1-3 7, Duvall 2 1-4 5, Kiefer 0 1-4 1. Totals 26 6-19.

3-point goals - Oscarson, Douglas 2, Jamison, Austad 2. Total fouls - Priest River 21, Lakeland 19. Fouled out - Troudt, Cork. Technicals - none.

St. Maries 61, Bonners Ferry 54

The Lumberjacks, behind the inside-outside duo of Essie Nelson and Tiffany Hodahl, defeated the Badgers.

The win keeps the Lumberjacks’ state-tournament hopes alive. St. Maries (17-5) plays Priest River (16-6) in another loser-out game tonight at NIC. Tip-off is at 7:30. The winner will play Grangeville on Saturday to determine District I-II’s second berth to state.

Bonners Ferry (10-13) - Hays 2 1-3 5, Robertson 5 3-5 15, Mein 0 0-0 0, Foust 0 0-0 0, Armstrong 0 0-0 0, Howlett 1 0-0 2, Blackmore 4 3-5 12, Cady 0 0-0 0, Bateman 6 4-8 19, Eby 0 0-0 0, Rice 0 1-2 1. Totals 18 12-23 54.

St. Maries (17-5) - Harpole 0 0-3 0, M. Hammons 0 0-0 0, Hodahl 6 5-7 22, A. Hammons 0 0-0 0, Grieser 1 7-11 9, Kachelmier 2 2-2 6, Nelson 1 6-8 8, Yearout 0 0-2 0, Gibson 2 6-8 10, Charles 3 0-0 6. Totals 15 26-43 61.

3-point goals - Robertson 2, Bateman 3, Blackmore, Hodahl 5. Total fouls - Bonners Ferry 29, St. Maries 23. Fouled out - Robertson, Howlett, Bateman. Technicals - none.