The Front Row with JASON ELLIOTT Feb. 16, 2011
It remains to be seen if the best teams will win come Saturday night, but this weekend's girls state 5A basketball tournament is bound to be one that is filled with entertaining moments.
From champions attempting to defend their crowns, to the newcomers that have shown some glimpse of hope, there's no more mulligans for losses.
THE ONE thing I have noticed is getting to the state tournament is tough to do.
Just ask the Lake City Timberwolves, who will be sitting at home, despite being ranked fifth in the last media poll of the season, with a 16-7 record. Meridian, which is 10-14 this season, will compete Thursday in the first of many games to be played throughout the Treasure Valley.
For some of these teams, there's not that many times during the season where they had to play on three consecutive days, let alone against a team they hadn't seen much of.
In such a setting, fans got a glimpse of what the three-time 5A champion Coeur d'Alene Vikings could do. They've also played in a competitive tournament in Oregon over a three-day span and played against some of the best in the nation.
When trying to compare the Vikings of November and December to the Vikings of now, they still had a few injuries to key players, while developing experience to other players just stepping into the varsity level for the first time this winter.
Coeur d'Alene won the Holiday Inn Express Invitational in late December and placed third in the Northwest Nike Invitational in Portland, Ore., the only other time they'd played on three straight nights during the season.
WHEN IT comes to the state tournament, anything can happen.
While I'm pretty sure that nobody expected all-North title games in three of the six classifications, those people that did aren't going to settle for anything less when the teams hit the floor on Thursday.
A lot of the pressure will be on those opening moments of each game when it comes to the first day. Those teams that handle the nerves the best will likely be the ones that continue to advance, while those that play timid and nervous will be riding the bus home a lot more disappointed that they think.
Last year, just when I thought everything was going according to plan, it changed within a blink of an eye. A few upsets, a couple buzzer beaters, who knows what will happen.
All that is certain is that six teams in the state will prove their worth come Saturday night at the Idaho Center.
Win or lose, it’s going to be worth the trip.
Jason Elliott is a sports writer for the Coeur d’Alene Press. He can be reached via telephone at 664-8176, Ext. 2020 or by e-mail at [email protected].