The Front Row with MARK NELKE Feb. 2, 2012

| February 2, 2012 8:15 PM

Here's some history on the 5A Region 1 girls basketball tournament, since the Inland Empire League split into two separate (5A and 4A) regional tournaments in the 2000-01 season:

All the hubbub about getting the No. 1 seed and home-court advantage actually has paid off statistically - in 10 of the 11 tournaments, the No. 1 seed won the regional title on its home court.

The only exception was in 2008, when No. 2 Post Falls upset No. 1 Coeur d'Alene in the title game. Coeur d'Alene came back to nab the second berth to state.

And only twice in those 11 years did a team that wasn't seeded first or second make it to state - or at least to the play-in game. In 2009, Lake City made it to state as the No. 4 seed to regionals and in 2007, Lake City qualified for state as the No. 3 seed to regionals.

From 2001-07, only the regional champion automatically qualified for state - the runner-up had to go to a play-in game. This is the fifth straight year 5A Region 1 has gotten two berths to state - though that changes back to one automatic berth and one play-in berth next year.

This year's regional tourney starts Friday at Coeur d'Alene High, with No. 3 Post Falls (11-8) playing No. 2 Lewiston (17-3) at 5:45 p.m., followed by No. 4 Lake City (10-10) vs. No. 1 Coeur d'Alene (16-2) at 7:30.

Coeur d'Alene and Lewiston tied for the 5A IEL title, and Coeur d'Alene won the coin flip for the No. 1 seed.

Just when it looked like St. Maries and Kellogg were sure bets to represent the Intermountain League at the state 3A boys basketball tournament, a potential state-crasher emerged - Timberlake.

Timberlake knocked off Kellogg 60-57 at home in December, then won 82-80 at St. Maries last week, avenging a 69-63 loss at home to the Lumberjacks in December. St. Maries has been to state each of the past three seasons.

Heading into Wednesday night's play, St. Maries (10-3, 3-1) led the IML, followed by Timberlake (11-5, 3-2), Kellogg (13-2, 2-2), Priest River (6-8, 1-2) and Bonners Ferry (5-8, 1-3).

Of course, just when we were about to annoint Timberlake as the Next Big Thing, the Tigers were upset last Saturday at home by last-place Bonners Ferry.

Just another example of the wacky IML.

Mark Nelke is sports editor of The Press. He can be reached at 664-8176, Ext. 2019, or via email at [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter at CdAPressSports.