STATE 1A DIVISION II SEMIFINALS: Cold at the wrong time

CALDWELL — In their first appearance at this level of high school basketball play in Idaho, the Genesis Prep Jaguars picked an inopportune time to go dead in the water offensively.

After a strong start, Genesis Prep struggled to score over the final three quarters of a 48-39 loss to the Council Lumberjacks in the semifinals of the state 1A Division II boys basketball tournament Friday afternoon at Capital High.

The Jaguars, in their first year as an Idaho High School Activities Association-sanctioned team, took a 17-16 lead early in the second quarter, then scored just five baskets the rest of the way.

“Like I told my guys, every family has setbacks. And today we had a setback,” Genesis Prep coach Marsell Colbert said. “We just outworked on the boards (41-25), and missed a lot of free throws (10, out of 22). Hats off to them; they did a good job of taking us out of our strength. It was unfortunate that our shots weren’t falling today. But at the same time, they deserved the win; they outworked us.”

Genesis Prep (19-5) will play Clark County (18-6) today at 10 a.m. PST at Caldwell High for third place. Dietrich defeated Clark County 46-39. Council (22-3) will play Dietrich (21-4) today at 8:30 a.m. PST at the Ford Idaho Center in Nampa in the state championship game.

Council did its research and learned that senior post Caleb Symons and freshman guard Jonny Hillman combined for perhaps 90 percent of Genesis Prep’s points during the season.

“So our plan was, the other kids have got to beat us,” said Council coach David Howe, a 1979 Kootenai High grad.

Hillman scored seven points in the first quarter for the Jaguars and Symons scored five. A putback by Symons early in the second quarter gave Genesis Prep a 17-16 lead. Hillman finished with 15, Symons 10 and the other Jaguar players combined for 14.

Howe said he rotated three different players on the 5-foot-11 Hillman, and used one post player — with a lot of help — on the 6-3 Symons.

“Those are really good players, and it was tough to stop, but I think we probably held them under their average,” Howe said.

Council, ranked No. 1 in the final state media poll of the season (Genesis Prep was fourth), tried to make it an up-and-down game, but struggled to gain separation as its forays to the basket looked like running into roadblocks, and was met with frustration.

Genesis Prep led 25-22 at halftime, but did not make a basket in the third quarter — but still only trailed 32-31, after hitting 6 of 10 free throws.

Council, backed by a roaring crowd which appeared to have emptied out the town of some 800 people, started to pull away early in the fourth quarter. JT Mahon’s fallaway from the baseline capped a 6-0 run that boosted Council’s lead to 38-31 with 4:17 remaining.

Hillman sank a 3-pointer with 3:46 left — Genesis Prep’s first basket of the half — but the Jaguars managed just two baskets after that as Council finished off the game by hitting 10 of 15 free throws.

“They did a good job of taking away our penetration, and they did a great job contesting shots,” Colbert said of Council.

Elijah Schreibeis, a long-armed 5-11 senior guard who keyed an effective half-court trap, added nine points, five rebounds and a couple of steals for Genesis Prep. Symons finished with eight boards.

Brett Rosengrant, a plucky little sophomore guard, hit 4 of 9 3-pointers and scored a game-high 18 points for Council. Mahon added 11 points, Ryan Rosengrant had 10 points and seven boards, and Zane Paradis, lauded by Howe for his play vs. Symons, grabbed 10 rebounds.

Genesis Prep shot 11 for 45 (24.4 percent) from the floor, including 5 for 28 (17.9 percent) from 3-point range.

Council 16 6 10 16 — 48

Genesis Prep 15 10 6 8 — 39

COUNCIL — Ludwig 0, Nichols 0, B. Rosengrant 18, Neal 5, Paradis 2, R. Rosengrant 10, Mahon 11, Celeda 2. Totals 14-35 15-24 48.

GENESIS PREP — M. Reidt 0, Miles 0, Hearon 3, Schreibeis 9, A. Reidt 0, Ebune 2, Symons 10. Totals 11-45 12-22 39.