Kellogg’s state fate up in air

Did the Kellogg High boys basketball team win Saturday or didn’t it? A controversial ending has what appeared to be a state berth-clinching win by the Wildcats in question.

The scoreboard showed Kellogg had defeated Weiser 70-68 in overtime in a State 3A play-in game at Craigmont. But Kellogg’s state plans had to be put on hold at least a day and maybe as late as Wednesday, depending on the outcome of a meeting involving state officials today.

Weiser school officials protested a technical foul that was assessed after time had expired in overtime. Kellogg coach Kieth Finkbeiner said his team had the ball under Weiser’s basket with 5 seconds remaining and the score tied at 68. Kellogg attempted a long pass, but it was intercepted by Weiser.

Finkbeiner said the Weiser head coach immediately started asking for a timeout. But Weiser wasn’t granted a timeout and the clock expired.

As the players from both teams headed to their benches, Finkbeiner asked one of the referees why he hadn’t granted Weiser a timeout. Finkbeiner said the referee told him and his assistants that he didn’t give Weiser a timeout because he knew Weiser didn’t have any timeouts remaining.

The Kellogg coaches argued that Weiser should have been assessed a technical foul for asking for a timeout when it didn’t have any. The referees huddled and came to the same conclusion. They assessed a technical and Jacob Conboy shot two free throws, making both. The referees put 2 seconds on the clock and Kellogg inbounded the ball and time expired.

Kellogg athletic director Troy Schueller was returning from the state wrestling tournament in Pocatello when he was told of what transpired. He called Idaho High School Activities Association executive director Bill Young. After a long conversation, Schueller said that Young decided he would talk with the state basketball rules interpreter and the National Federation of State High Schools rules interpreter today to try to resolve the situation.

Schueller said that if state officials decide to play another 4-minute overtime period, it would be scheduled for Wednesday afternoon in Craigmont. That way if Kellogg wins, it could just continue on to state.

“It seems to me to be pretty straightforward,” Finkbeiner said. “The referees talked about it, decided that Weiser had asked for a timeout and corrected the situation there.”

•Drew Vachal was a pain in Lake City’s side all night, consistently penetrating and drawing fouls and finishing with a game-high 20 points as Timberline beat the Timberwolves 48-44 in a State 5A loser-out play-in game at Grangeville.

Cory Kreighbaum led LC (10-14) with 14 points, with Brad Bemis adding 11.

The Timberwolves got within one point (45-44) with 30 seconds left when Brett Bemis made 2 of 3 free throws, but after Timberline made two free throws with 15 seconds remaining, LC couldn’t hit a 3-pointer that would have tied it.

•Sandpoint trailed Bishop Kelly 35-26 at halftime, but rallied in the fourth quarter, outscoring the Knights 21-8 in the fourth quarter and earning a 62-58 victory in a State 4A loser-out play-in game at Grangeville.

Chase Lowther had 19 points and six assists to lead Sandpoint (11-13), and Michael Brewer added 12 points and 14 rebounds.

Stew Tracy (15 points, 10 rebounds) and Max Adcox (15 points, 11 rebounds) each had double-doubles for Bishop Kelly.