Moscow advances to state tournament

Dane Randall and Nick Ellison combined to score 26 points as the Moscow Bears recovered from a shaky third quarter to beat the visiting Lakeland Hawks 60-53 for the 5A Region I boys basketball championship and advance to the state tournament.

Lakeland’s Matt Horne hit four 3-pointers in the third quarter as the Hawks (12-12) outscored the Bears 24-15 to lead by three entering the final period before Moscow battled back and iced the game at the free-throw line.

Moscow (16-5) plays Borah on Thursday in the first round of state at Boise.

5A Region I

Post Falls 41, Coeur d’Alene 40: The Trojans (10-13) picked the perfect opportunity to beat the Vikings (13-10) for the first time in three tries this year, eliminating CdA from postseason play and advancing to a 3 p.m. Saturday state play-in game against Eagle in Grangeville. No other statistics were reported.

3A District I

Kellogg 60, Priest River 49: Garret Wendt poured in a game-high 22 points and added 10 rebounds as the Wildcats pulled away from the Spartans at Lakeland HS in Rathdrum.

Taylor Bircher chipped in 18 points for Kellogg (14-9), which advances to a 2 p.m. Saturday state play-in game against Buhl in McCall. Priest River (11-11) was eliminated.

2A District I-II

St. Maries 57, Coeur d’Alene Charter 33: Warren Joiner scored 16 points, Luke Feasline added 14 points and 11 rebounds and the Lumberjacks cruised in the middle quarters to defeat the Panthers at Kootenai. St. Maries (14-9) advances to a state play-in game versus Cole Valley at 5 p.m. Saturday in Grangeville. CdA Charter (12-9) was eliminated.