Idaho boys: Colby Gennett leads Post Falls over Coeur d’Alene in 5A district title game

Post Falls has a young team with just two seniors and 10 sophomores on the roster. So coach Mike McLean will take leadership from whomever is willing to step up.

“You know, youth is bliss, right?” he said. “If you don’t know it’s a big shot, just go out and do your job.”

On Tuesday in the Idaho 5A District 1-2 championship game, McLean found the leadership he was looking for from two-year starter Colby Gennett, a junior.

Gennett scored 19 points with two thunderous dunks and Post Falls beat visiting Coeur d’Alene 58-44 in the third meeting between the teams this season – all won by the Trojans.

Sophomore guard Alex Horning added 13 points for the Trojans.

Coeur d’Alene was led by Devon Johnson and Connor King with eight points apiece.

Post Falls (17-6) advanced to the state tournament while the Vikings (13-7) face a loser-out game Thursday.

Post Falls placed fourth at state last season with a roster stocked with experienced players, including Jake Pfennigs, the 2018 Idaho Gatorade Player of the Year. This year, McLean said, his young team is still learning to win.

“It’s rewarding,” McLean said of the district title. “These guys have something to prove. Every day they come to practice and we work hard in practice.”

Even though the Trojans had beaten CdA twice earlier, Gennett said he and his teammates took nothing for granted in their third meeting.

“We knew Coeur d’Alene was going to come out and and give it their best shot,” he said. “We just knew we had to do our thing and prepare for them all week in practice.

“We prepared for this game all year.”

Gennett said his role on last year’s team as someone who was mentored by older players has led him to step up into that role this season.

“I know that I’m one of the only returners,” he said. “I knew that we needed a leader on the team and I’m proud to say that I could take that responsibility this year. I got to play with Jake Pfennigs, Tanner (McCliment-Call), all those great players, and they taught me how to be a great leader so I appreciate that.”

Coeur d’Alene got up 7-2, but Post Falls went on an 11-0 run, including 3-pointers by Gavven Desjarlais, Horning and Terrell Mitchell, to lead 13-7 after one quarter.

Gennett scored nine in the second quarter to help the Trojans to a 26-17 halftime lead.

In the third quarter, Gennett got loose on the baseline for a hard two-handed slam to put Post Falls up by 11, but CdA’s Johnson scored seven in the quarter and Post Falls led by five entering the fourth quarter.

Horning and Caden McLean hit back-to-back 3s at the start of the fourth to push the lead back to 11. Gennett’s second dunk made it 53-34 with just more than a minute to play.

The 5A district loser-out game, Lake City at Lewiston, was postponed until Wednesday because of winter weather.

Moscow 79, Lakeland 59: Benny Kitchel scored 26 points, Gabe Quinnett added 24 and the Bears (18-3) beat the Hawks (9-11) in Game 1 of the best-of-three 4A District 1-2 series at North Idaho College. Game 2 is Friday.

Ben Zubaly led Lakeland with 18 points.

St. Maries 48, Grangeville 45: Dan Howard scored 14 points with eight rebounds and the Lumberjacks (16-6) beat the Bulldogs (12-4) in Game 1 of the best-of-three 2A District 1-2 championship series at Troy HS. Game 2 is Thursday.

Eli Gibson added eight points, eight rebounds and four steals for St. Maries.

Trey Dreadfulwater led Grangeville with 23 points.

Mullan 51, Clark Fork 41: Luke Trogden scored 19 points, Chandler Holling added 17 and the Tigers (7-10) defeated the Wampus Cats (1-13) in the 1AD2 district play-in game at the Real Life Campus in Post Falls.

Mullan advanced to play Genesis Prep in a first-round game.

Cameron Garcia led Clark Fork with 20 points.