Billetz blitzes Hawks
The Post Falls boys basketball team, struggling somewhat in this season’s early going, was looking for a breakout effort.
They Trojans got just what they needed Friday night.
Senior KC Billetz gave the Trojans a much-needed spark and he and the rest of his teammates turned the annual Battle for the Prairie Pig into a real oinker for Lakeland, crushing the Hawks 85-52 in a non-league contest in front of a packed house in the Arena in Post Falls.
The teams will meet two more times this season, both in Inland Empire League games.
The intensity level could be felt at the start of the contest and the two teams went toe-to-toe in the game’s opening minutes. The score was tied four times, the last time at 12 after Lakeland’s Jared Eby hit a short jumper inside the key.
But Post Falls (2-5) soon used a 12-0 run to stretch a 15-14 advantage to 27-14 early in the second quarter. Billetz was the catalyst for the Trojans offense, scoring seven points during the run.
Billetz’s first-half numbers were impressive. The 6-foot-2 wing shot 8 of 8 from the field, including 4 of 4 from 3-point range. He ended the first half with 22 of his game-best 24 points.
He punctuated his first-half effort with a slam off an offensive rebound with less than two minutes left.
“It’s funny because whenever I shoot bad in warm-ups, I don’t miss in the game,” Billetz said. “Tonight I wasn’t shooting well in warm-ups. Tonight I was pretty on.”
“KC had it huge tonight,” said Trojans assistant coach Mike Lindquist. “He’s been our energy all year. It’s usually on the defensive end, but tonight he put it all together.”
Billetz lost his bid for first-half perfection when he missed a free-throw attempt just moments after his dunk.”
“Sorry, I wish it had gone in,” Billetz said. “Good thing it wasn’t (for) the game-winner.”
Post Falls shot 64 percent from the field in the first half. Following their run, the Trojans continued to increase the lead, taking a 46-25 advantage at the half.
Lakeland (3-4) never came closer than 20 points after that, despite the efforts of junior guard Ryan Gallia. Gallia finished with 21 points, but was the only Hawk to score in double figures.
Post Falls continued its torrid shooting in the third quarter, hitting 8 of 14.
“I looked over at (head) coach (Dave) Stockwell at one point and said ‘I think everything is going in tonight,’ ” Lindquist said.
The Trojans also got a big night from sophomore post Brandon Haas, who finished with 18 points (12 in the second half) and several key rebounds.
Senior Scott Stockwell scored 13 points and junior Dan Hamilton added 12 for the Trojans.
Non-league
Big third quarter lifts EV
East Valley doubled up on the Vikings in the third quarter at Coeur d’Alene, going on a 16-8 run through the period to take control of a game that was tied at 38 at halftime. Jared Smith scored 18 points and Dylan Sattin added another 17 to lead the Knights. Jake Wolfe scored 15 and Tom Hughes 14 for the Vikings. … Kettle Falls 58, Priest River 48: Jason Azzarito drilled 9 of 10 shots from the floor and led four players into double figures as the Bulldogs defeated the Spartans during the opening round at the Newport Holiday Tournament. Azzarito finished with 17 points. Jeremy Patterson matched that total for the Spartans. … Timberlake 43, Newport 34: Also at the Newport tourney, Eric Lambert tossed in 17 points to lead the Tigers to an opening-round win over the host Grizzlies. Timberlake plays Kettle Falls tonight at 7:45 for the tournament title. Newport plays Priest River for third place at 4:15.