3A DISTRICT 1 GIRLS BASKETBALL CHAMPIONSHIP: Pressing all the way to Middleton
<p>JAKE PARRISH/Press Bonners Ferry's Kadi Bateman, left, scrambles for a loose ball with McKeeley Tonkin of Timberlake during the 3A District 1 championship game on Wednesday at North Idaho College.</p>
<p>JAKE PARRISH/Press Timblerlake's Erica Powell shoots past Natasha Webster of Bonners Ferry during the 3A District 1 championship game on Wednesday at North Idaho College.</p>
COEUR d’ALENE — When things are going good for the Timberlake Tigers, they’re a tough team to beat, on any night, by anyone.
On Wednesday night, in the 3A District 1 girls basketball tournament championship game, things weren’t just good.
They were great.
Senior Payten Rhodes and junior Keelie Lawler scored eight points each as the top-seeded Tigers beat the third-seeded Bonners Ferry Badgers 63-28 at North Idaho College, advancing to the state tournament starting next Thursday at Middleton High.
Things went so well, as freshman McKeeley Tonkin was driving for a layup, she slipped and fell, but stil had time to put a shot up and in with 5:54 remaining.
“We play fast and love to take chances,” Timberlake coach Mat Miller said. “We like to make more risker plays, and that was one of the more risky ones for sure.”
Timberlake (20-1) opens at state against the runner-up from District 3 at 2 p.m. PST.
Allison Kirby, who along with Lawler were named co-Intermountain League MVP following the game, finished with four points and five assists for Timberlake.
“It’s a great group,” Miller said. “They go out and work hard. We’re ahead by 30 points, and we’ve got three players diving on the floor for the ball on a loose ball when on the scoreboard, the game is over. But that’s what they do. They never stop, regardless of what the score says.”
Earlier, Priest River eliminated Kellogg with a 62-49 win. Priest River will host Bonners Ferry in the second place game tonight, with that winner advancing to a play-in game on Saturday in Grangeville.
Timberlake 63, Bonners Ferry 28: Tonkin finished with four points, and was also named to the all-Intermountain League team following the game.
“I’m pretty nervous because I’m the only freshman on the team,” Tonkin said. “I just come in and play my role. They push me to get better. We work together so well and share the ball. We talk on the court and just do everything really well.”
Timberlake has finished runner-up in four of its last five appearances at state.
“Think our team is really good and we’ll go super far at state,” Tonkin said. “We work well together and we’re going to have a good time.”
It is the second straight district title for Timberlake.
“It’s good to have this over,” Miller said. “Districts is maybe more stressful as a coach than state is. I don’t know why, but it just seems that way. I’m glad we came what we came to do. You kind of get a clean slate down there. They’re still going to have some knowledge of you, but not like playing each other three times. You’ve got to feel things out a lot quicker.”
Miranda Wenk scored 12 points for Bonners Ferry.
“My kids just lacked the confidence to be patient and take care of the ball,” Bonners Ferry coach Mike Cowley said. “We’re still very young and we’re still making some mistakes. Timberlake is so good at putting pressure on and keeping the pressure on, it becomes overwhelming. And that happened tonight. We had a good plan, but we just couldn’t deal with everything they were doing.”
Sophomore Trinity Golder and senior Kerstin Oxford were named to the all-league team for Bonners Ferry.
“We’re still pretty young and start four sophomores,” Cowley said. “We’ve played Priest River tough and should have been them in the regular season, but shot 6 of 22 on free throws. We should be able to give them a run.”
Bonners Ferry 7 7 9 5 — 28
Timberlake 17 23 9 14 — 63
BONNERS FERRY — Bauer 2, Skeen 4, Oxford 0, Spangler 1, Wenk 12, Coughlin 0, Bateman 0, Donn 2, Webster 2, Golder 2, Davis 2, Burt 0.
TIMBERLAKE — Vanderhoof 6, Kelley 0, Rhodes 8, Mallet 4, Starr 7, Jezek 5, Kirby 4, Cheevers 0, Powell 7, Gardom 6, Simpson 4, Tonkin 4, Lawler 8.
Priest River 62, Kellogg 49: Melissa Krampert scored 17 points to lead the Spartans (13-8) past the Wildcats in a loser-out game.
Priest River will host Bonners Ferry in the district’s second-place game tonight, with that winner advancing to a state play-in game on Saturday in Grangeville.
Abby Arthur scored 11 points for Kellogg, which finishes 10-11.
Kellogg 8 19 10 12 — 49
Priest River 16 19 21 6 — 62
KELLOGG — Arthur 11, Riekena 3, Twidt 9, Rauenhorst 2, Cates 6, Speelman 0, Sheppard 0, Chambers 8, Bening 2, Seteney 0, Miller 8.
PRIEST RIVER — Hurd 0, Wilson 4, Dams 0, Gamma 5, Butler 0, Summers 10, Krampert 17, Huntley 0, Carey 9, Akre 15, Dement 1.
ALL INTERMOUNTAIN LEAGUE
MVP — Allison Kirby, jr., Timberlake; Keelie Lawler, jr., Timberlake.
Coach of the Year — Matt Miller, Timberlake
TIMBERLAKE — Shelby Starr, so., McKeeley Tonkin, fr. PRIEST RIVER — Alyssa Carey, sr., Avery Summers, jr. BONNERS FERRY — Trinity Golder, so., Kerstin Oxford, sr. KELLOGG — Kailli Cates, so., Marley Chambers, jr.