Smaller numbers, bigger game

Under a new coach with a new system at St. Maries High this year, Zach Lehman's scoring numbers went down, but the Lumberjack win total improved - as did Lehman's overall game.

First-year coach Craig Wicks came in and said he'd rather have four players score 10-12 points per game than one or two scoring 15-18 points per game.

Lehman, a 6-foot-4 senior who averaged 18 points per game as a junior, averaged 13.6 as a senior - and was second on the team with 2.7 assists per game.

"I bought into that (Wicks' philosophy) immediately," said Lehman, who was selected to the North boys team for today's eighth annual Idaho state high school all-star basketball games at North Idaho College. "The more other people are scoring, the less they're looking at me, and that gives me a chance to score. I dished the ball as much as I could; it didn't bother me at all (to pass)."

After going 12-10 last year, St. Maries finished 19-7 this year, going to state for the third consecutive season. The Lumberjacks reached the semifinals before falling to Weiser, then lost to Snake River in the third-place game to finish fifth.

"He stepped up to the challenge," Wicks said. "He improved his game in other areas. He became a better rebounder, he passed the ball better, he saw the floor.

Personally I think he became a better overall basketball player because of the fact that I wasn’t asking him to score all the points every night.”

Lehman was called up to the varsity during his freshman season. His breakout game was a 20-point effort vs. Priest River just prior to the district tournament, and at districts, he was called upon to take his team’s biggest shot of the season.

In the second-place game vs. Bonners Ferry — winner to state, loser done for the year — St. Maries led by 13 at halftime. But Bonners rallied to take the lead, and the Lumberjacks needed a 3-pointer in the closing seconds to force overtime.

But the inbounds pass to Lehman was just out of reach, the Badgers intercepted and won the berth to state.

“At first I was nervous (when they called a play for me), but after the game I thought it was pretty cool,” he said.

Lehman started his three full seasons on the varsity, averaging 14 points per game as a sophomore, when St. Maries won the consolation championship at state. He was an all-Intermountain League selection all three seasons.

This year, he missed four games after suffering a high ankle sprain while being fouled on a drive to the hoop in a game against Kellogg.

To his credit, Lehman stuck the two free throws before heading off for treatment.

“From Zach’s perspective it probably wasn’t the greatest senior year he could have envisioned, but to his credit he always found a way to help the team,” Wicks said. “If he was not scoring well one night he would pick up assists, and rebound. Even when he was injured he was still a good asset to the team, always helping kids from the bench.”

Lehman, a pitcher and shortstop on the Lumberjacks’ baseball team, played mostly guard as a sophomore, slid down to the post as a junior and popped out to the guard position again as a senior.

Lehman is attracting recruiting interest from Wenatchee Valley College as well as Walla Walla Community College, where former Lumberjack Aaron Corsi played the past two seasons. If hoops doesn’t work out, he plans to go to Boise State and perhaps become an athletic director someday.

Wicks said Lehman might be best suited to be a shooting guard, but said he can break people down on the dribble, and post up smaller guards — a versatility which certainly can’t hurt at the next level.

“He played every position on the floor for us this year at one time or another,” Wicks said. “He’ll definitely be missed.”

NOTES: The girls game is scheduled for 1 p.m., the boys game at 3:30 p.m.

Between games, there will be a 3-point shooting contest with the girls competing against the boys, as well as a slam dunk contest.

The North team consists of players from District 1 and 2, and the South team consists of players from the rest of the state.

The South girls lead the series 5-2, and the South boys lead 4-3.

Admission is $6 for adults, $4 for students and senior citizens and will be available at the door, sponsor locations and local area high schools.

The games are sponsored by Time Warner Cable, Century 21-Beutler and Associates, The Coeur d’Alene Resort, Michael D’s Eatery, Sports Cellar and the NIC Booster Club.

Rosters are as follows:

Carli Rosenthal, Coeur d’Alene; Heather Baughman, Coeur d’Alene; Jenna Lewis, Lake City; Sydney Butler, Lake City; Jenna Davis, Lakeland; Katherine Samuels, Lapwai; Savannah Blinn, Lewiston; Tanis Fuller, Lewiston; Nikki Redinger, Moscow, Michelle Sietz, Nezperce; Tori Davenport, Post Falls; Cassie Thompson, Timberlake. Alternates: Kylie Brown, Grangeville; Tia Asbury, St. Maries. Coach: Steve Seymour, Lakeland.

Erin Kelly, Bishop Kelly; Aleah Lowber, Boise; Jackie Luna-Castro, Boise; Sofia Huerta, Centennial; Carrie Thibault, Jerome; Tara Marston, Meridian; Madeline Laan, Middleton; Mariam Ridgwell, Mountain View; Dakota Barrie, Mountain Home; Shanee McBride, Vallivue; Rachel Wolfe, Meridian; Kendra Lamb, Middleton. Unable to participate: Amber Vandiver, Capital; Alli Holdaway, West Jefferson. Coach: Kym Bridges, Boise.

Jake Matheson, Coeur d’Alene; Andrew Baracco, Coeur d’Alene; Chris Wheelock, Lake City; Mark Smyly, Lake City; Matt Kalbfleisch, Lewiston; Jay Thomason, Lewiston; Connor Hill, Post Falls; Matt Lickfold, Post Falls; Eric Holbrook, Priest River; Max Salesky, Priest River; Cole Fuhrman, Sandpoint; Zach Lehman, St. Maries. Alternates: Hunter Arno, Lakeland; Blaine Shultz, Sandpoint. Coach: Ryan Bodecker, Priest River.

Jeremy Jones, Borah; Alex Duncan, Boise; Ben Bopp, Century; Patrick Manning, Centennial; Daved Gillmor, Eagle; Kyle Blanchard, Madison; Bronson Miller, Minico; Tyson Percifield, Mountain View (injured); Kyle Dranginis, Skyview; Marcus Graham, Timberline; Kevin Jurgensmeier, Minico; Austin Winegar, Weiser. Alternates: Faruk Huskic, Centennial; Austin Leavitt, Jerome. Coach: John Nettleton, Mountain View.