LC makes statement
Jim Thacker is in just his second season as the Lake City High boys basketball coach.
So the Timberwolves haven’t had a lot of time to post any statement-making victories under the longtime coach who spent 29 years at Walla Walla before taking over at Lake City.
The Timberwolves’ 58-52 victory Friday over defending Inland Empire League champion and No. 3-ranked Lewiston had to be close.
Lake City, which moved into the 5A rankings at fifth this week for the first time this season, stayed in the battle for the hosting rights of the 5A Region I tournament by locking things up with the visiting Bengals in the conference standings.
The T-Wolves did it with defense, limiting their turnovers to 10 and making critical free throws in the fourth quarter.
“My kids showed a lot of character,” Thacker said, emphasizing a recent theme. “They came back and got that win and made some big shots.”
LC (10-4, 4-2) made 10 of 15 free throws in the fourth quarter to hold off Lewiston (9-3, 4-2). Junior guard Trent Bridges was especially big in the period as he made 5 of 6 foul shots.
Lewiston started the game hot from the field. Senior point guard Shane Moser hit his first four shots, two of which were 3-pointers.
But LC hung tough. Junior 6-foot-4 post Nick Fromm, who rarely fires away behind the 3-point arc, made both of his attempts in the first quarter, allowing the T-Wolves to lead 19-18 after the first 8 minutes.
Two other Bengals made 3-pointers midway in the second period as Lewiston built a 28-21 lead. LC junior guard Ben Carroll came off the bench to hit a 3-pointer and a free throw-line jumper to give the T-Wolves a 30-29 lead at halftime.
“We didn’t lock up the dribble very well in the first half,” Lewiston coach Dave Cornelia said. “We gave them too many easy opportunities where they drove to the lane and scored or drove to the lane and kicked it out. That was the biggest difference.”
LC picked up in the third period where it left off before intermission. The T-Wolves used a 12-2 run, capped by a 3-pointer by Bridges, for a 42-31 lead with 2:12 to go in the quarter.
Lewiston used trapping defenses to whittle away at LC’s lead. A steal led to a layup by Shad Strerath as the Bengals pulled even at 44 with about 5 minutes to go.
“We handled the pressure a lot better except in the tail end of the third quarter and the start of the fourth,” Thacker said. “We got that nice lead and then we just kind of got hesitant and didn’t take it to the hole. We were too busy trying to keep the ball away from them instead of taking it at them.”
Moser, who was slowed by foul trouble, made a 3-pointer to give Lewiston its final lead at 47-46 with 3:42 to go.
Fromm got a rebound basket 32 seconds later that pulled LC ahead at 48-47.
Fromm got an easy bucket moments later off a nice penetrating pass from sophomore Jason Wheelock, and Bridges made both ends of an 1-and-1 opportunity to extend LC’s lead to 52-48 at the 1:37 mark.
Moser made a final 3-pointer, his fourth of the game, pulling the Bengals within 52-52 with 1:25 remaining. LC made six free throws thereafter to secure the win.
“This is one we had to have if we want to have any chance of playing at home (in the postseason),” Thacker said.
Fromm led LC with 15 points and eight rebounds. Ty Stoddard had 12 points and Alex Capaul had four steals.
“With three minutes to go I thought this is kind of how we’ve played a few times and the guys will figure out a way to win,” Cornelia said. “We went to that well once too often. I give Lake City a lot of credit. Our post players didn’t perform the way they need to perform for us to win.”
Lewiston doesn’t get any time to rest as the Bengals play host to Coeur d’Alene (9-4, 4-1) in a key 5A league contest tonight.