Sandpoint in semifinals for first time since 1996
<p>Sandpoint High School’s Grace Kirscher battles Meghan Holloman, of Kuna High, in the third period of the Idaho state 4A girls basketball tournament at Timberline High School Thursday in Boise.</p>
<p>Sandpoint’s Madi Schoening drives past a Kuna defender to the basket in the third quarter.</p>
BOISE - Junior guard Madi Schoening, the 4A Inland Empire League Most Valuable Player, scored 15 of her game-high 20 points in the second half as the Sandpoint Bulldogs beat the Kuna Kavemen 49-41 in the opening round of the state 4A basketball tournament on Thursday at Timberline High.
The win was the program's first in a first-round game since 1996, when coach Duane Ward led the Bulldogs to a runner-up finish in the A-1 (now 5A) tournament.
Sandpoint went 0-2 last year at state.
"It was definitely a big win for us," said Ward, who returned as coach this year after Bill Bender stepped down at the end of last season. "I don't think many expected us to get back here this year, but the kids played well and wanted to get this win. We hadn't gotten one of these in a long time."
Another win in tonight's semifinal at 7 p.m. PST against Century High of Pocatello will put the Bulldogs (14-8) in Saturday's state 4A championship game at the Ford Idaho Center.
Century beat Minico of Rupert 52-34 on Thursday.
Schoening finished the game 7 of 16 shooting with four rebounds and two steals for Sandpoint, which also got 12 points from freshman post Grace Kirscher.
"They were a hard-earned 20 too," said Ward of Schoening. "Grace, a freshman, played well for us and drove to the basket really well. Her offense is really coming around and she's doing a good job for us."
Kuna post Allison Law scored 14 points, 10 in the first half.
Kuna shot 6 of 23 in the second half.
Taylor Ward - the coach's granddaughter - scored all seven of Sandpoint's points off the bench.
Kuna 10 12 6 13 - 41
Sandpoint 11 11 17 10 - 49
KUNA - Arizana 8, Rose 5, VanCampen 1, Thurston 1, Shreeve 0, Law 14, Hengel 0, Holloman 12, Brower 0. Totals 15-44 7-10 41.
SANDPOINT - Williams 4, Schoening 20, Converse 0, Robertson 0, Ward 7, Couch 6, Kirscher 12, Bluemer 0. Totals 17-42 12-18 49.