Kellogg, PR to meet in title game

A week after pulling off the upset of the year in the Intermountain League, the Kellogg High girls basketball team has an opportunity to post an even more impressive victory.

IML champ Priest River, which was shocked 47-33 by Kellogg last Friday, can prove the Wildcats’ win was nothing short of a fluke. The teams will meet in the 3A District I championship game Friday.

In district openers Wednesday, third-seeded Kellogg kept its momentum rolling by holding off IML runner-up Bonners Ferry 53-43, while Priest River coasted past No. 4 St. Maries 72-24 at North Idaho College’s Christianson Gym.

Bonners Ferry (10-9) will face St. Maries (8-13) in a loser-out opener Friday at 6 p.m. Priest River (12-9) and Kellogg (12-9) will face off at 7:45 to decide one of two state berths.

Kellogg 53, Bonners Ferry 43: The Wildcats led start to finish for their fourth straight win and first in three tries against the Badgers.

The Wildcats used a 14-5 run to build their biggest lead at 38-25 late in the third quarter.

Bonners Ferry charged back early in the fourth quarter, using fullcourt pressure to force four consecutive turnovers. Two free throws from Camille Robertson pulled the Badgers within 39-36 with 5:03 remaining.

But the Wildcats regained their composure – thanks largely to a big 3-point shot by senior Cami Wendt. Her bomb from the corner followed by a rebound basket moments later extended Kellogg’s lead to 45-36 with 3:52 to go.

Kellogg coach Lisa Cheney, who played on the last Wildcat team to qualify for state in 1990-91, agreed.

“The lead started to slip there so we just tried to get a bucket and maintain momentum,” Cheney said. “That was a big momentum shift.”

Bonners Ferry defeated Kellogg 54-49 and 48-42 in league.

“We were a little more aggressive than the first two times we played them,” Cheney said. “We’re playing well right now. Things are kind of clicking together.”

Except for the 3-minute stretch to start the fourth, Bonners Ferry struggled finding offense.

“Becky (Lowther) tried to do too much and nobody else really wanted to do anything,” lamented Bonners Ferry coach Travis Hinthorn.

“We weren’t rebounding. We had three players that we’re getting stuck at halfcourt watching them score,” Hinthorn said. “We weren’t getting back defensively and they weren’t contributing offensively.”

Wendt scored a game-high 17 points. She also had eight rebounds and five assists. Teammate Brittany Vosberg added eight rebounds.

Lowther had 10 points to go with five rebounds and two steals. Katie Poston finished with 11 points and 13 rebounds.

Priest River 72, St. Maries 24: If this game were an amusement ride, the Spartans were riding downhill on a rollercoaster while the Lumberjacks were seemingly stalled on their ride in midair with nowhere to go.

The Spartans got out quickly, and there was nothing quick about the Lumberjacks – unless one counted the frequency in which they committed turnovers.

Senior post Calli Turner scored all 18 of her game-high points in the first half, making all five of her shots inside in the first quarter and finishing 8 for 12. She didn’t take a shot in the second half.

Turner, in fact, finished with one more point than St. Maries had in turnovers in the first two quarters.

St. Maries duplicated the turnovers in the second half. What made matters worse, though, was shooting. The Lumberjacks made just one of 21 shots from the field in the second half.

Eleven of 12 Spartans scored. Rachel Schlechte had 11 points and Ashley Rey scored all 10 of her points in the fourth quarter.

The Spartans may have lost starting guard Ellen Bryant to a knee injury.

Boys

Lake City 64, Lakeland 53: Jarom Taylor scored 10 of his 11 points during a 19-5 third-quarter run to lead the host Timberwolves past the Hawks. Cory Kreighbaum also played a big role for Lake City (10-9, 4-7 IEL) in the third, scoring seven of his team-high 16 points. The Timberwolves had five players in double figures. Sophomore point guard Ty Stoddard led Lake City with six assists to go with his 10 points, while Taylor added seven rebounds. Kam Kiefer carried Lakeland (3-8, 8-11) from outside, hitting six three-pointers and scoring 21 points.

Lakeland had already cemented the fourth and final spot in the Idaho 4A Region I tournament. Lake City’s position in the 5A tournament remains uncertain.

Lewiston 61, Moscow 44: Senior guard Jeff Decker scored 15 points to help the host Bengals clinch the top seed in the 5A Region I playoffs. Lewiston (9-8, 6-5 IEL) cruised through the fourth quarter, as they hit 12 of 15 free throws and outscored Moscow (14-5, 6-5) 19-8. Mark Diaz added 12 points for the Bengals.