Mission accomplished
<p>Post Falls High's Malcolm Colbert goes up for a shot and draws a foul from an Eagle High defender during the second half.</p>
<p>Post Falls High's Shawn Reid, right, Scott Benner, Marcus Colbert celebrate the Trojan's first championship win since 1964 following the state 5A boys basketball championship game Saturday at the Idaho Center in Nampa.</p>
<p>Jared Kennedy from Post Falls High puts pressure on Eagle High's Thayne Pearson as he goes up for a shot in the second half.</p>
<p>Post Falls High's Malcolm Colbert celebrates after drawing a foul from Jordan Thompson from Eagle High.</p>
NAMPA - With 3.1 seconds left in the game, the scoreboard prematurely flashed something that was pretty much evident several minutes earlier:
"POST FALLS, STATE CHAMPS."
The Post Falls Trojans made it official seconds later, finishing off a 68-60 victory over the Eagle Mustangs in the state 5A boys basketball championship game Saturday night before a near-capacity crowd estimated at 5,000 at the Idaho Center.
It was Post Falls' first state boys basketball championship since winning back-to-back titles in 1963 and '64.
"It doesn't even seem real; it's just kinda like, what happened?" senior guard Shawn Reid said. "It hasn't hit any of us yet, how big of an achievement that is."
The Trojans celebrated wildly when the buzzer sounded. After going through the handshake line, the Trojan players rushed to their student section for more celebration. After that, senior post Jeremy Cragin and a teammate or two lifted up inspirational team manager Anthony King, who flashed the "No. 1" index finger to the Post Falls faithful.
The game was expected to be a track meet between two athletic teams, but Post Falls proved to be quicker than Eagle, beating the Mustangs off the dribble, and keeping them from driving to the basket.
"I just don't think southern Idaho respects North Idaho basketball," Post Falls coach Mike McLean said. "I truly believe they think we're a bunch of small towns up north, and we just aren't as skilled a basketball players as the Boise valley. I'm not taking anything away from them ... I just think in this tournament, we showed we're not just a bunch of athletes that run up and down the floor. We're basketball players."
Senior Malcolm Colbert led the Trojans (22-4) with 19 points and four rebounds. Reid added 16 points, eight rebounds and three assists. Junior Connor Hill had 15 points and four rebounds, and sophomore point guard Marcus Colbert had 15 points.
Taylor Kelly, signed to play quarterback at Arizona State next year, scored 17 points for Eagle (24-2), which had its 19-game winning streak snapped.
"I'll tell you what - that is a good team," Eagle coach Tom Seifert said of Post Falls. "I know we are quick, but they, at times, made us look slow. That's a very, very impressive team, but what's scary is, that's a young team. Good luck to the northern schools that play them every week. I'm very, very proud of my kids, but Post Falls was a better team tonight."
Eagle led 17-13 after the first quarter, highlighted by Thayne Pearson's 60-footer at the buzzer. But Post Falls started to stretch the Mustangs late in the second quarter, mostly with its defense, and led by as much as seven points before taking a 32-27 halftime lead.
"I think teams underestimate us because we come from the North and they don't think we want to run," Reid said. "But we're basically a bunch of scrappers in a way - it's just organized. We just want to get out and run; we definitely condition all year long for it."
Eagle grew frustrated with Post Falls' physical defense.
"Everyone thinks teams in the North don't play defense," Malcolm Colbert said. "They (Eagle) like to run like we do, but they like to crash the boards and get offensive rebounds, so we had to stop that and stop their transition."
Early in the fourth quarter, Malcolm Colbert took a pass from Marcus Colbert and hit a 3-pointer from the left baseline. Moments later, Malcolm took a fast-break pass ahead from Marcus for a layup and a 50-39 lead with 6 minutes left.
Post Falls led by 12 points midway through the fourth quarter. Eagle fought back to within seven with just under 2 minutes left, but Reid hit 4 of 4 free throws down the stretch to seal it.
Post Falls shot 51.3 percent (20 of 39) from the field. Eagle shot 39.3 percent (22 of 56).
"We can execute offensively and defensively," McLean said. "We executed a defensive plan on their motion offense exactly how we (wanted to). We had a plan, I asked my kids to do something, and they did it. Offensively, it's the same story every night. When we get a piece of the paint, kicking out, getting in the lane, good things are going to happen. I'm supremely confident, with the guards that we have, that we're going to get it done."
Daved Gillmor added 12 points and 12 rebounds for Eagle.
Note: A welcome home parade for the team is scheduled for today at 4 p.m. Fans are invited to meet at the vacant lot next to Stan-Craft Boat Co. on Seltice Way to greet the team. The parade will run from Seltice to Spokane to Poleline and to the high school, where a ceremony is scheduled.
Eagle 17 10 10 23 - 60
Post Falls 13 19 12 24 - 68
EAGLE - White 3, Slonaker 7, Pearson 6, Shaw 6, Van Dyk 0, Kelly 17, Thompson 7, Cramer 1, Gillmor 12, Thibault 1. Totals 22-56 14-20 60.
POST FALLS - Gonzales 0, Hill 15, Reid 16, Muncey 0, Mal. Colbert 19, Mar. Colbert 15, Mikkelson 0, Lickfold 0, Kennedy 0, Cragin 3. Totals 20-39 25-35 68.