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A good start in their new home

| December 12, 2018 12:00 AM

All things considered, it was a good debut on Viking Court for the Coeur d’Alene High boys basketball team.

Sure, it took a half, but at the end of the game, a win is a win.

WITH A little bit of a break now — Coeur d’Alene doesn’t play again until a home date next Tuesday with Lakeland — they can get a little more used to the new gym, and all it has to offer.

“It’s probably OK,” said Coeur d’Alene coach Tony Hanna of the team’s layoff. “We had three games last week (Nov. 27 vs. Ferris, Nov. 29 at Rogers and Nov. 30 at Central Valley), so now we can take a look at what we need to work on.”

After its game against Lakeland, Coeur d’Alene travels to Missoula to face Big Sky Dec. 20 and Hellgate Dec. 21 before another brief break before the Lake City Holiday Tournament Dec. 26-28.

“We’ll definitely get going after the (holiday break),” Hanna said. “We’ll get a little bit of a break, but hit it hard in practice.”

Back to the new gymnasium.

“It’s nice having a student section behind the rim,” Hanna said. “Both Post Falls and Lake City have it. I think the student section can be an advantage and kind of evens things out a little bit. It’s going to be great to host the Fish game (Jan. 11).”

Coeur d’Alene’s girls lost 49-47 to North Central in its debut in the new gym.

VIKING COURT, when completed, will seat roughly 2,400, according to Coeur d’Alene athletic director Mike Randles.

Lake City’s gym seats around 2,800, Post Falls’ gym roughly 3,100.

One thing missing last Friday was the bleachers for the top section of the gym, due anytime.

“The upper bleachers will arrive (today) or Thursday,” Randles said. “It then takes several days to organize the pieces and fit them together. We will likely be into break before they are installed.”

Elmer Jordan Court, which seated around 1,600, will still be utilized for other athletic events like non-varsity games and practices when needed.

“We’ll have to get used to the sounds of the (Viking) court,” Hanna said. “The rims are really tight and the ball comes off the rim a little differently than Jordan Court. But to have Jordan Court as our second court, it’s pretty fantastic.”

“From a physical standpoint, it improves upon Jordan in nearly every aspect,” Randles said. “Size, sound, lighting. With its rich history, Jordan Court, I am sure, will always hold a special place in the hearts of our alumni. Viking Court is not only more benefiting of our programs today, but also gives us more options with respect to bigger events such as Fight for the Fish and graduation.”

NOT TO be left out, the folks at Lake City High added another practice gymnasium and expanded on its wrestling room earlier this year.

That wrestling room is already paying off big for the Timberwolves, who recently won the West Valley Wrestle-Rama over the weekend.

We’ll just have to wait and see how much in the coming months.

Jason Elliott is a sports writer for the Coeur d’Alene Press. He can be reached by telephone at (208) 664-8176, Ext. 2020 or via email at jelliott@cdapress.com.