Lake City showing the look of a power
LOREN BENOIT/Press Lake City’s Bridget Rieken scores on a breakaway play against Post Falls in Thursday night’s game at Lake City High. The Timberwolves defeated the Trojans 71-25.
Jenna Gardiner of Post Falls shoots a three pointer against the Timberwolves in Thursday night’s game at Lake City. (LOREN BENOIT/Press)
Lake City’s Aubrey Avery dribbles the ball down the court against Post Falls during Thursday night’s game at Lake City. (LOREN BENOIT/Press)
COEUR d’ALENE — In its second year under coach James Anderson, the Lake City High girls basketball team has built a bit of an identity early in the season.
The Timberwolves have got athletes, size and depth, with a little more experience at the varsity level than in the 2017-18 season.
Sophomore Brooklyn Rewers, a 6-foot-3 post, had 17 points and three blocked shots, one of four starters in double figures for the Timberwolves on Thursday night in a 71-25 win over the visiting Post Falls Trojans in the 5A Inland Empire League opener for both schools at Lake City High.
“I think we’re doing a great job of moving the ball,” Anderson said. “Our offense is much more fluid and we’ve got an identity of who we are. It makes a bit of a difference doing something for a second year and there’s a lot more continuity of what I want and the girls know what I want. We’ve grown together and I just think it’s more fluid and we’re turning down good shots for better shots.”
Klaire Mitchell had 12 points, Bridget Rieken and Dejah Wilson 10 points each for Lake City (8-2), which led 40-17 at halftime.
“Being a league game, Post Falls is always tough,” Anderson said. “They do a great job and we knew this was an important one. I was proud of how the girls came out ready to execute our gameplan today. We’ve had some bumps along the way trying to figure each other out, but we’re starting to get there. And tonight was a good night.”
Rewers scored 12 of her game-high 17 in the first half.
“Brooklyn has been blocking a lot of shots in the last couple of weeks,” Anderson said. “She’s had five blocks in multiple games in the last few weeks, which has been a huge game changer for us. We’ve asked her to be a little more aggressive and attack the rim, and she was awesome at doing that tonight. I was pleased with how well she ran the floor and got into the post to get some shots early to really break it open in the first half.”
Jenna Gardiner scored seven points for Post Falls (2-9), an inexperienced squad coming off last year’s state title.
“Give Lake City a lot of credit,” Post Falls coach Marc Allert said. “They’re hard to score against. They’ve got athletes. They’ve got some big kids and they shot the ball pretty well tonight. They’re pretty tough to beat.”
Post Falls opens the TimberLion tournament next Thursday against Eagle at Timberline High in Boise.
“We’re still a work in progress,” Allert said. “We’ve played a super, super tough schedule. I think those teams are 43-5, and Lake City is right up there with those teams we’ve played. We’re getting better in phases, but we’ve got a ways to go still.”
Lake City opens at the Vancouver (Wash.) tournament against Union High.
“We do some things better,” Allert said. “Sometimes we’re one step forward and one step back, but we’re progressing. We kind of knew this coming into the year, but we’re still working.”
Post Falls 14 3 6 2 — 25
Lake City 24 16 16 15 — 71
POST FALLS — Johnson 6, Blake 1, Gardiner 7, Gleaves 0, Smith 0, LaFountaine 2, Faulkner 3, Lovett 3, Carpenter 3.
LAKE CITY — Pickford 0, Avery 9, Muehlhausen 3, Mitchell 12, Teets 0, Rieken 10, Littman 6, Wilson 10, Rewers 17, Hawkins 3.