LC ends Hawks’ win streak

Lake City girls basketball coach Darren Taylor knows that a win is a win.

And when that win comes against a team as hot as the Lakeland Hawks, he doesn’t really care how he gets it.

The Timberwolves shrugged off a lackluster offensive showing and a host of turnovers to edge the Hawks 35-33 in an Inland Empire League game Saturday at Lake City.

Lakeland (13-6 overall, 7-5 IEL), which had come in winners of its past nine games, could have moved into a second-place tie with Lake City in the IEL with a win. But the Hawks, by virtue of Sandpoint’s 60-42 loss to Coeur d’Alene, will have to settle for the top seed in this week’s 4A Region I tourney.

Lakeland will host No. 4 seed Post Falls on Tuesday at 7 p.m. in the tournament’s opening round. No. 2 Sandpoint will host No. 3 Moscow in Tuesday’s other game.

Lake City (12-7, 9-3) also opens regional play Tuesday. The T-Wolves, the second-seeded 5A team, will host No. 3 Lewiston with the winner traveling to top-seeded CdA on Friday. Those games are also set for 7 p.m.

Against Lake City, the Hawks just couldn’t find their shooting touch. Lakeland shot just under 17 percent over the first three quarters, but trailed by only eight (32-24) with eight minutes to go.

Lakeland coach Steve Seymour could only shake his head at those numbers.

“Lake City did a great job defensively, and we did a poor job offensively,” he said. “We seemed more than happy to stand around and watch them work us. I’d like to think that we could shoot a better percentage than that.

“As ugly as it was, we were there at the end.”

The T-Wolves jumped out to a 16-5 first-quarter lead and looked like they were going to run away with it. But a string of four straight LC turnovers allowed the Hawks to cut it to 17-11.

That’s when sophomore Brittany Bemis hit the first of her three 3-pointers, giving the T-Wolves a huge boost and propelling them to a 24-16 halftime lead.

LC would maintain that eight-point lead into the fourth quarter – and it’s a good thing they had that cushion.

LC was 0 of 7 from the field in the final quarter and held off a furious Lakeland rally. The Hawks scored the first five points of the quarter to cut the lead to 32-29.

After senior Lauren Stern hit two free throws to make it 34-29, Lakeland answered with buckets from Brigitte Boucher and Katie Douglas to make it a one-point game.

LC’s Georgia Burke hit a free throw with :38 left to establish the final margin as the T-Wolves held off the Hawks in the final seconds.

“We’re happy to beat them,” Taylor said. “I think they are the best team in the league over the second half of the season. His (Seymour’s) teams are so well prepared.”

LC had a woeful final quarter. Not only were the T-Wolves scoreless from the field, they also committed eight fourth-quarter turnovers.

“One of our biggest problems is our killer instinct,” Taylor said. “We get teams down and we just can’t seem to put them away.”

Bemis lead LC with 10 points and Stern added eight.

“She (Bemis) came in and gave us a little spark in the first half,” Taylor said.

Lakeland was led by Jessie Bartlett’s seven points.