Rocky ending for T-Wolves
<p>Lake City's T.J. Philp steals the ball from Josh Phillips from Rocky Mountain High during the second half of their game Friday at the state 5A boys basketball tournament at Idaho Center in Nampa. The T-Wolves were eliminated from the tournament after the 72-52 loss to the Grizzlies.</p>
<p>J.J. Stoddard leads his Lake City teammates out of the tunnel at the Idaho Center and to the court for the second half of their match-up against Rocky Mountain High Friday at the state 5A boys basketball tournament at Idaho Center in Nampa. The T-Wolves were eliminated from the tournament after the 72-52 loss to the Grizzlies.</p>
NAMPA — The Lake City High post player sealed off his man well, took the entry pass on the baseline side and spun to the basket for a sure layup.
But the shot caromed off the backboard a bit too hard, rolled around the rim and rolled off, and the other team grabbed the rebound.
It was a scene all too familiar the last couple of games for the Timberwolves, who lost 72-52 to Rocky Mountain of Meridian on Friday afternoon in a loser-out game at the state 5A boys basketball tournament at the Idaho Center.
“If my math is correct, we were 9 for 34 in the keyhole,” Lake City coach Jim Winger said. “We just had one of those games that we’ve had this year where there’s just a lid on the basket and everything’s a struggle and we fell behind.”
Lake City, which won the Region 1 title and qualified for state for the first time in eight seasons, finished 13-11 after going two and out at state.
Rocky Mountain (15-10), in just its second year as a school and its first trip to state, plays Vallivue (19-6) of Caldwell today at 8:15 a.m. PST at Columbia High in Nampa for fourth and sixth places.
For the second straight game, the effort was there for the T-Wolves, even if the baskets weren’t. Lake City shot 15 of 57 (26.3 percent) from the field, and 18 of 34 (52.9 percent) from the line.
Lake City fell behind by 10 points early, and trailed by as much as 23 in the third quarter. Rocky Mountain alternated a couple of post players standing 6-foot-6 and 6-7, and when the T-Wolves tried to sag in on them, the Grizzlies sank seven 3-pointers in 23 attempts.
Josh Hasquet hit three of those and led Rocky Mountain with 14 points. In all, 12 Grizzlies scored. Rocky Mountain outrebounded Lake City 55-37, including 28-18 on the offensive glass.
Junior point guard Chris Wheelock scored all 15 of his points in the second half for Lake City. Junior Mark Smyly added 14 points, junior Brady Smith played well off the bench with 10 points, nine rebounds and three blocked shots, and senior guard T.J. Philp grabbed nine rebounds and had three steals.
“Down the line we’re going to look back and say we’re the team that brought us back,” Lake City senior guard J.J. Stoddard said. “ With that being said, you wish you’d won a couple of games, but it was a fun year, a fun experience to be here and be a part of it.”
Lake City shot just 6 for 26 in the first half and trailed 30-14 late in the half. After falling behind by 23 points midway through the third quarter, Lake City came no closer than 14 the rest of the way.
“The whole entire game of basketball becomes such a struggle when those little chippies don’t go in,” said Winger, who was the coach in 2002 the last time Lake City made it to state, falling to Madison in the title game. He resigned following the ’03 season to focus on his duties as athletic director, then returned to coaching for the 2008-09 season. “Overall I’m very pleased with the season; it was very productive and rewarding.”
Lake City 11 10 12 19 — 52
Rocky Mountain 19 13 20 20 — 72
LAKE CITY — Beusan 1, Smith 10, A. Mitchell 0, Wheelock 15, Turner 0, Carlson 3, Smyly 14, Philp 4, K. Mitchell 0, Bevacqua 0, Stoddard 5, Jackson 0, Hartz 0. Totals 15-57 18-34 52.
ROCKY MOUNTAIN — Rogers 1, Hasquet 14, Bruneel 10, Pace 4, Trompke 2, Gillespie 0, Phillips 9, Skurdal 8, Altringer 3, Van Diest 8, Feist 2, Strand 9, Bagley 2. Totals 26-68 13-21 72.