Centennial beats CdA, takes home state title

Centennial’s girls won their second state title in three years – and coach Emery Roy’s ninth overall – by beating Coeur d’Alene 58-45 in the State 5A girls basketball title game in Nampa, Idaho, on Saturday.

The Patriots (23-3) hit six of their first eight shots, including 2 of 3 3-pointers, to open up a 14-4 lead with 3:32 left in the first quarter.

CdA (19-6) didn’t appear rattled, though. The Vikings clawed their way back, pulling within 25-21 by halftime.

The Vikings started the third quarter like the Patriots started the game, hitting three of their first four shots – all 3-pointers – to take their only lead at 30-29 with 5:10 to go in the third quarter.

But CdA trailed 41-37 going into the fourth quarter and when an inside basket by Blake Reynolds extended the Patriots’ lead to 52-45 with 2:11 to go, CdA was forced to foul thereafter.

•Vallivue (26-0) used its speed and defense to hold off a consistently feisty Moscow team 49-43 in the State 4A final. The underdog Bears (13-14) were led by Kelsey Taylor and Lauren Bender, who each finished with 12 points.

•Shelley (20-7) ended Kellogg’s Cinderella story, getting 15 points from Whitney Thompson to beat the Wildcats 49-44 in the State 3A title game. Kellogg (16-11), which hadn’t been to state in 15 years, got 13 points from Jordan Budd and 10 from Marisa Bush.

•Layne Tucker scored 15 points as Garden Valley (24-1) held off Wallace 54-48 in the State 1A championship game. Lisa Carver led the Miners (24-2) with a game-high 18 points.