CdA starts fast, beats Post Falls
The Inland Empire League boys basketball matchup Thursday between Coeur d’Alene and Post Falls had all the feel of an NBA game – a lot of offense and little defense.
The visiting Vikings won this track meet, cruising past the Trojans 97-85 at the Arena.
The little bit of defense that was played was executed by Coeur d’Alene (8-7 overall, 3-4 league) in the first half, and it was especially key in sparking the Vikings’ fast start.
CdA used fullcourt pressure coupled with a zone once Post Falls advanced past midcourt. The Viks rode 8-of-11 shooting to a 21-8 lead after the first quarter, while the Trojans, influenced by CdA’s defensive activity, managed just 3 of 11 from the field in the opening eight minutes.
The Trojans’ lethargic play continued in the second quarter. CdA drove repeatedly to the basket and the result was a parade to the free-throw line where the Viks made 15 of 17 in the second period, 18 of 20 in the first half.
Matt Palmer completed a three-point play, giving CdA its biggest first-half lead at 47-23, with 1:35 remaining before halftime. The Viks, who also shot a torrid 68 percent from the field in the first half (15 of 22), took a 52-30 lead into intermission.
“That’s definitely our best half of basketball offensively,” CdA coach Kent Leiss said. “We played great defense the first 12 minutes, but I thought we gave up 10 or 12 points once Post Falls got the basketball to the time line against our press. We just never ever stopped the ball and they drove down the lane repeatedly in the second quarter.”
That was about all Leiss had to quibble about – except perhaps when the Trojans (10-5, 4-4) scored 35 points against the Viks’ loosely played man-to-man in the fourth quarter.
Post Falls coach Dave Stockwell, meanwhile, recognized the team wearing the Trojans’ uniforms Thursday. It’s the same team that lost four previous games in a similar fashion.
“We weren’t prepared to play in the first half and I don’t know why,” Stockwell said. “We’ve lost five ballgames and all five have been exactly the same thing. We think we’re going to win a ballgame, I guess, so we don’t come out hard the first half. The score’s respectable, but they kicked our (butt).”
CdA had another spurt of defense in the opening moments of the third quarter. The Viks caused six turnovers, parlaying the extra chances into their biggest lead at 67-40.
The Viks attacked PF’s 2-3 zone in the first half. When the Trojans tried to extend to cover the perimeter, CdA’s 6-foot-3 post Cody Smith was left unimpeded in the key. Smith scored 15 of his team-high 18 points in the first two quarters as he made 4 of 5 field goals and 7 of 7 foul shots.
What pleased Smith about the win was how CdA followed up its 73-62 upset at Lewiston on Saturday. The Viks have had a tendency to play a good game and follow it up with a stinker.
“This is a better sign,” Smith said.
Smith had plenty of support. Five other Viks scored in double figures – Austin Heleker (16), Palmer (14), Andrew Prohaska (11), Nate Clinton (11) and Leon Duplessis (10).
PF guard Dan Hamilton scored a game-high 23 points, including 5-of-7 shooting from 3-point range. Steve Hudec came off the bench to score 17, Spencer Pingel had 16 and Brandon Haas, who was scoreless in the first half, had 15 in the final two periods.