Viks survive, head to state

For a half, the Coeur d’Alene High girls basketball team took the suspense right out of the 5A Region I winner-to-state, loser-out game Monday.

Then in the fourth quarter, the Lewiston Bengals brought the suspense back, and the Vikings’ red-flushed cheeks suddenly turned pale.

Trailing by 14 points going into the final quarter, Lewiston rallied to pull even twice before Coeur d’Alene recovered to hold off the Bengals 52-46 at Elmer Jordan Court.

No. 2-ranked Coeur d’Alene (20-3), state runner-up the last two years, meets top-ranked Centennial (22-1) in a state opener for the second straight year Thursday at the Idaho Center in Nampa at 7 p.m. PST.

The final time Lewiston drew even was when Tanis Fuller hit a 6-foot bank shot with 2:00 remaining. But the Viks made 10 of 10 fouls shots in the final 1:45.

CdA coach Dale Poffenroth called two timeouts in the fourth quarter, imploring his team to keep attacking the basket and not be tentative.

“We just sort of sat back and didn’t do anything,” Poffenroth said. “I kept telling them the same thing over and over again and it never did get done. Those things happen. The pressure’s off now (getting to state).”

Playing solid man-to-man defense, CdA cruised in the first half, building a 29-14 lead by halftime. The Viks led 38-24 going into the fourth quarter.

That’s when the wheels started to come off. The Viks committed six turnovers and they fueled the Bengals’ comeback. A 3-pointer by junior Megan Mills allowed Lewiston (11-12) to pull within 40-39 with 4:03 to go.

On Lewiston’s next possession, 6-foot-2 post Kiki Edwards-Teasley was fouled shooting. After she received the ball for the first free throw, a violation was called when a Bengal stepped over the 3-point line. Edwards-Teasley made the lone foul shot to pull Lewiston even at 40-40 with 3:15 remaining.

The teams then traded baskets before the Viks secured the state berth at the foul line.

Kama Griffitts led the Viks with 14 points and six rebounds. Edwards-Teasley had 19 points.

“We dug all the way out,” Lewiston coach Pat Teichmer said. “If we could have … taken the lead, maybe it would have been a little different. Coeur d’Alene frustrated us like crazy in the first half. My girls have a lot of guts and a lot of heart.”

•In the Washington District 9 1B girls playoffs in Colfax, Colton (18-3) beat Tri-City Prep 66-38 behind Alisa Moehrle’s 17 points and 10 rebounds. … Tekoa-Oakesdale got 13 points from Desi Chapell in defeating Liberty Christian 40-28.

Boys

Sergio Lopez’s half-court, 3-point buzzer-beater with two defenders in his face earned Tri-City Prep a 48-46 win over LaCrosse-Washtucna in the Washington District 9 1B playoffs in Colfax. Adam Roberts led LCW with 16 points. … Derek Stratton scored 19 to lead three players with 15 or more points as Liberty Christian defeated Tekoa-Oakesdale 61-48. … In a loser-out game, Touchet defeated St. John-Endicott 41-38.

•A 16-4 margin in free throws proved decisive as visiting Lewiston scored a 64-53 Inland Empire League win at Lakeland. The Bengals, which got 11 points from four players in a balanced effort, was in the double bonus in free throws 6 1/2 minutes into the second half. Scott Carr led Lakeland with a game-high 19 points.

•In a North Star League makeup, Merlin Weaslehead had a triple-double – 21 points, 11 rebounds, 10 steals – and Merle Bighead added 18 points as Lakeside beat visiting Mullan 99-27. Anthony Henderson had nearly half of Mullan’s total with 13 points.

•Seth Ketchum had 14 points and nine rebounds to lead Kellogg to a 61-53 Intermountain League makeup win over visiting St. Maries, which got 22 points from Josh Masterson.