Focused on themselves, not others

While they’ll determine the state champions in all six classifications on Saturday at the Ford Idaho Center in Nampa, a case could be made for the title game at the 3A level could come a little sooner than that.

Timberlake (18-3) opens defense of its championship against Buhl (16-7) today at 12:15 p.m. PST at Skyview High in Nampa.

A win, along with a win by Sugar-Salem (22-2) in the second game could set up a title game rematch in a semifinal game. Last year, Timberlake beat Sugar-Salem 60-57 to win its second straight title.

“We’re kind of in our own little bubble,” said Timberlake coach Matt Miller, in his 13th year as coach. “And we try to keep it that way. We try to keep our expectations as our expectations and not what the media, parents or fans think.”

3A: Timberlake and Sugar-Salem have been the top ranked teams in the 3A level this season in the state prep girls basketball media poll.

“It’s a little different, but we probably would have had to play them at some point,” Timberlake senior guard Lilly Kelley said. “The sooner the better I guess. We all have attributes to add to the team.”

“It really hasn’t felt that way to us and now, we just try to get better in practice each day,” Miller said. “If they’re not growing day to day, we’re not doing something right. With any sport, we’re at our best when we’re worrying about what we can control. You can just drive yourself crazy worrying about this and that matchup. At state, a lot of it comes down to what team has the better night. We’ve had nights where we’re the better team, but lose, and we would have beaten that team 7 of 10 times, and vice versa.”

Miller pointed to a 49-48 double overtime win over Snake River in the 2012 semifinals at Middleton High as an example.

“We beat them, and they would have beaten us 7 of 10 times,” Miller said. “As a coach, you just want the kids to play hard and execute the best they can.”

Then again, Timberlake HAS advanced to the title game in fourth straight years.

“The kids, they’re good players,” Miller said. “It’s no secret that they’re a good team because we’ve got a lot of good players. They’re continuing to work hard and get better and invest their time in the program. They’re making it a priority and basketball is a game that you’ve got to spend a lot of time at to get good at. And these kids have been doing that for a while now.” Seniors Shelby Starr, Kaylee Jezek and Lilly Kelley have played at state each of the past three years.

“I definitely don’t think it hurts to have their experience,” Miller said. “There’s going to be nerves no matter what when you care about something. I think the experience of those upperclassmen will be able to help along our freshmen and kids that haven’t been there.”

And as long as everyone on the team is following the game plan ...

“We talk about knowing your job because it changes from moment to moment,” Miller said. “We talk about that a lot.”

Notes: Bonners Ferry is at state for the first time since 2013, when it won the consolation title under coach Travis Hinthorn, who returned as coach this season after a four-year absence. In between his two stints, the Badgers had three head coaches in four years. ... Sugar-Salem, which enters state on a 19-game win streak, graduated just two players from last year’s squad. ... Buhl is at state for the first time since 2003.

5A: Defending champion Centennial High of Boise failed to qualify for state, losing to Boise in the fifth-place game in the District 3 tournament.

Post Falls (21-2) opens with Capital High of Boise tonight at 5:15 p.m. PST at the Ford Idaho Center in Nampa.

Notes: Eagle boasts three players who have signed college scholarships — forward Katelyn Murray (Army), guard Janie King (Idaho) and guard McKenna Emerson (Northwest Nazarene). Junior point guard Meghan Boyd has offers from Idaho, Utah Valley and Denver ...

4A: Middleton (18-6) opens defense of its state 4A title against Sandpoint (14-8), the Region 1 champion today at 2 p.m. PST at Mountain View High in Meridian.

Sandpoint advanced by sweeping Moscow in a best-of-3 district tournament. It is the Bulldogs’ fifth straight trip to state.

2A: St. Maries returned to state for the first time since 2002 — when the Lumberjacks played at the 3A level — last year, winning its opener in overtime before losing on the final two days.

“It’s a different style of play (at state),” said St. Maries coach Jay Sines, in his eighth season. “They’re a lot more aggressive on defense to me. The teams we faced last year, they did a lot of full court and man-to-man press, and it was a different tempo than what we’re used to playing up here.”

In an effort to challenge his players, St. Maries took on 4A Sandpoint in a home-and-home, as well as 3A schools Bonners Ferry and Kellogg. “We didn’t have a lot of games this year with the press,” Sines said. “Grangeville tried it this year, but we didn’t see it a lot this year. We were able to see a lot of different looks and we put a couple of different things in. Hopefully we’re prepared.”

St. Maries (15-6) opens at state tonight at 7 PST against Cole Valley Christian (17-4), the team it beat in the opening round in 2017, at Kuna High. Cole Valley is led by senior forward Holly Golenor (12.7 points, 9.7 rebounds per game).

1A Division I: Lapwai (18-3) opens defense of its 1A Division I title against Liberty Charter (17-7) at Caldwell High.

1A Division II: It its first trip to state in program history last year, Genesis Prep finished third.

A year later, the Jaguars are back and looking for more at Nampa High.

Genesis Prep (13-9) opens with Tri-Valley (13-7) today at 2 p.m. PST. Juniors Bella Murekatete and Rachel Schroeder were named co-Most Valuable Player in the North Star League following last week’s District 1 title game at Timberlake High.

“We know what we’re getting into and know how to prepare for it,” first-year Genesis Prep coach Brandon Haas said. “The girls are going to be mentally locked in and focused on one goal. Every person is going to be locked in. Tri-Valley, I’ve seen a little on them. They’re a young, quick team. They’ll be a good test. A lot like playing Clark Fork for us, or Lakeside. They shoot the ball very, very quick, It’s just like having a couple of Rachels (Schroeder) out there.”

Defending champion Butte County (20-3) opens with Deary (17-7).

“The first game at state is always the toughest,” Haas said. “They’re a team that plays our style and we match up with them really well. I’m really pleased we play a team that runs.”

Tri-Valley is a co-op between the Cambridge, Midvale and Indian Valley communities.

See capsules on all 48 teams at state, as compiled by Idaho media, at cdapress.com