Badgers’ blazing start nails Filer
MIDDLETON, Idaho – Bonners Ferry pressed a 23-2 lead out of the mistakes of Filer ballhandlers on the way to 48-36 victory Thursday afternoon and a ticket to the State 3A basketball semifinals.
But the Badgers’ expected semifinal opponent, Kellogg, suffered a flu-weary 57-36 defeat at the hands of Sugar-Salem.
Bonners Ferry meets Sugar-Salem at Middleton High School at 5:15 p.m. PST today with a ticket to the state title game at stake. Kellogg takes on Filer at 12:15 p.m. PST in a loser-out consolation bracket contest.
Whatever the Filer Wildcats came prepared for, it was not Bonners Ferry’s press. The Badgers forced turnovers on Filer’s first two possessions, getting layups off the steals. Bonners Ferry scored nine points before the Wildcats managed a couple of free throws almost halfway through the first period.
It took three timeouts and more than 10 minutes before Filer managed its first field goal, a 3-pointer by sophomore sub Lacie Heimkes. By then, the Badgers had 23 showing on their side of the scoreboard.
“We usually come out with pressure to see how they react to it,” said Bonners Ferry coach Travis Hinthorn. “It worked well for us, so we stuck with it.”
Bonners Ferry senior Becky Lowther tallied more points (11) in the first quarter than the Wildcats could manage as a team in 17 minutes.
Filer got off 10 shots in the first quarter, either hurried layups or 3-point attempts launched out of frustration for not finding any other shot.
The Badgers’ 33-9 halftime lead seemed safe. Any less of an advantage might have been in jeopardy.
“That was a game of two halves there,” Hinthorn said. “Their pressure got to us. Luckily, we were ahead.”
Causing six Bonners Ferry turnovers and holding the Badgers to 2-for-12 shooting, Filer cut the lead to 11 points in the third quarter.
The Wildcats cut the lead to 37-26 early in the fourth quarter, but they failed to capitalize on several opportunities to get closer. Filer knocked the lead down to 46-36 with just more than a minute to play.
Kaitie Poston hit six points for Bonners Ferry in the fourth quarter before leaving with a twisted ankle.
“It got to a certain point where they had to look for 3s,” Hinthorn said. “We went zone. Luckily, it slowed them down a bit.”
Sugar-Salem 57, Kellogg 36: Kellogg also showed better early defense and composure than its opponent. The Wildcats worked over Sugar-Salem for a 14-8 first-quarter lead, forcing five turnovers and holding the Diggers to 4-of-13 shooting from the floor.
After that, the Diggers were too much – too tall, too deep, and too relentlessly up-tempo – for a Kellogg team that had to forgo serious practice the last week because so many players suffered through a bout with the flu.
“They did a good job on defense, the second half especially,” said Kellogg coach Steve Bourgard. “We usually handle pressure real well. For a week, we haven’t been able to run (because of illness). They just kept coming in waves and we didn’t have an answer for it.”
The Diggers feature five players 5-foot-10 or taller on their roster, an asset that helped them get Kellogg post Amanda Seeling into early foul trouble and hold her to seven points and four rebounds, well less than her averages.
Eleven Sugar-Salem players collected 5 minutes or more of playing time during the game. The constant fresh legs on the court pressured the flu-recovering Wildcats into 22 turnovers for the game, after only two in the first period.
Kellogg’s offense faded after the first quarter, but the Wildcats held Sugar-Salem in check well enough to lead 18-16 at halftime. The Diggers started the second half with an 11-3 charge that left Kellogg scrambling.
“The first half, we had energy,” Bourgard said. “And we played great defense.”
Junior forward Katie Dumont led Kellogg with 13 points and five rebounds.