Post Falls boys top Cd'A in OT

POST FALLS — It took a little help from five missed free throws by the opponent in the final 44.3 seconds, but the young Post Falls Trojans grew up a bit on Friday night — and scored a huge league victory to boot.

Cole Rutherford dished to Colby Gennett for the game-tying 3-pointer in the closing seconds of regulation, then Rutherford scored the first six points of overtime as Post Falls stunned the Coeur d’Alene Vikings 72-60 in 5A Inland Empire League play at The Arena.

“This is huge,” said Rutherford, one of six sophomores for Post Falls (12-6, 3-0 5A IEL), which took the league lead at the midway point of the league season. “We executed well at the very end. Colby hit a huge shot to put us into overtime, and then I did my thing.”

Caden McLean hit four 3-pointers and led all scorers with 19 points for Post Falls. Rutherford added 16 points and four assists.

Coeur d’Alene (10-4, 2-1) trailed 47-40 early in the fourth quarter before going on a 12-2 run. Drew Hostetter scored six of his 11 points during that run and a transition basket by Kale Edwards, who led the Vikings with 14 points, put Coeur d’Alene up 52-49 with 3 minutes left.

“I think our guys panicked — Coeur d’Alene’s going on a little run,” Post Falls coach Mike McLean said. “That’s when you’ve got to bear down, and really start to execute, and not try to match them shot for shot.”

The Viks led by 6 with just under 2 minutes left, but went just 3 of 8 from the line down the stretch.

After Connor King sank the second of two free throws with 6.6 seconds left to put Coeur d’Alene up 3, Rutherford took the inbounds pass and rushed up the floor. Near the top of the key, he passed to the open man on the right wing and Gennett — the only returnee from last year’s squad that advanced to the state semifinals — buried the trey for just his second basket of the game.

“We were not in control (late), but I never thought we were out of control,” McLean said. “I’ve got a bunch of guys that don’t have a lot of varsity experience in this league. And sometimes the best thing you can do is let ’em go, and let them learn as they go.”

In the extra period, Rutherford twice drove for 3-point plays in the first minute and a half, Gavven Desjarlais and reserve Isaac Ballew also made big plays late, and Caden McLean sealed it with a couple of late baskets as the Trojans shut out the Vikings in OT.

“I knew I had to attack the rim,” Rutherford said. “I got by ’em, and they didn’t have help defense.”

“We knew that was going to be a dogfight,” Coeur d’Alene coach Tony Hanna said. “I felt really good up 6, but you’ve got to knock down free throws to close out games, and a great player hit a huge shot for them. We weren’t going to let McLean get another one for them, he’d hit a bunch already in the game ... just a little bit of a brain fart, and lost Gennett.

“It’s amazing how these games go. We make one more free throw, or one more possession, and we’re going home celebrating because we knocked them off on their home court.”

Hanna said Coeur d’Alene played mostly zone to limit Post Falls’ transition game, slow the Trojans down and make them play in the half court, and the Trojans were 9 of 24 from the field in the first half. The Vikings committed 10 turnovers in the first half, but just three after that.

“Our guys really buckled down (in overtime),” McLean said. “A lot of teams, especially inexperienced teams, we hit that big shot and there’s a lot of emotion. Our entire huddle was, we’ve got to let that play go. It’s all about the next play, the next series.”

Post Falls got some good news after the game when X-rays revealed sophomore Alex Horning, who hobbled off the court with a right leg injury early in the third quarter after he stepped on another player’s foot, was diagnosed with “only” a high ankle sprain. Trojan coaches feared for the worst.

Coeur d’Alene plays at Lake City next Friday. Post Falls returns to action Jan. 29 at home vs. Lewiston.

Coeur d’Alene 6 17 15 22 0 — 60

Post Falls 11 14 19 16 12 — 72

COEUR d’ALENE — Blakeley-Whittaker 3, Johnson 9, Friesz 6, King 6, Hostetter 11, Margo 11, Meade 0, Edwards 14.

POST FALLS — Gennett 8, McLean 19, C. Rutherford 16, Ballew 2, Desjarlais 6, Horning 9, J. Rutherford 6, Mitchell 6.