Vikings hold off Lake City
COEUR d’ALENE — After getting thrashed by their city rival by 29 points two weeks ago, the Lake City Timberwolves displayed much more fight in the rematch.
But the Coeur d’Alene Vikings sank enough 3-pointers throughout, and made enough key plays to fend off every Lake City uprising in a 55-51 victory in 5A Inland Empire League play Friday night at Lake City High.
“League’s always tough, because especially after the first time, teams start prepping for you, they do things different,” Coeur d’Alene coach Tony Hanna said. “They did a good job, especially in the second half, taking away our transition game, and forced us to work for everything.”
Carter Friesz scored a game-high 17 points for Coeur d’Alene (11-4, 3-1 5A IEL). He tallied 10 of those in the fourth quarter, including a pair of free throws with 7.7 seconds left that increased the Vikings’ lead to four points.
Mayson Blakeley-Whittaker, Connor King and Kale Edwards each added nine points for Coeur d’Alene.
Jack Kiesbuy led Lake City (2-13, 0-4) with 16 points, and Seth Hanson added 12.
The T-Wolves trailed 9-0 after 2 minutes, but pulled within one point at the end of the first quarter. Lake City fell behind by 12 points early in the third quarter, and closed to within 3 points early in the fourth and to within 2 late, but couldn’t get over the hump.
“I think in the (Fight for the) Fish game we were nerved up; we didn’t have our heads where they needed to be,” Lake City coach Jim Winger said. “I’m just extremely proud of the kids, and the way we played tonight. We’d been struggling with rebounding, and 50/50 balls, and tonight we got after it. Our defense was excellent.”
Coeur d’Alene opened the game with 3-pointers from Blakeley-Whittaker, Connor King and Blakeley-Whittaker, and finished with eight 3s, six in the first half. Blakeley-Whittaker and King each finished with three 3s.
Friesz scored in the lane early in the second quarter for the Vikings’ first 2-point basket.
Threes from King and Drew Hostetter, along with nice interior passing, keyed a 10-0 run midway through the second quarter that increased the Vikings’ lead to 27-17 at halftime.
Lake City crept within four early in the fourth, but missed a pair of shots that would have made things more interesting. Blakeley-Whittaker drove and dished to Friesz for an inside basket to make it 51-44 Viks with 1:45 left.
But Kiesbuy answered with a 3, and two free throws by Josh Stellflug pulled the T-Wolves within 51-49 with 1:12 left.
Coeur d’Alene spread the floor, and Edwards drove down the middle for a layup with 55 seconds left. Stellflug fed Ben Janke for a layup with 20 seconds left to make it a two-point game, but the Vikings broke the pressure and Lake City had to foul Friesz on his way up for a layup, and Friesz hit two to seal it.
“It might be because we have so many seniors (seven) this year, but I do feel like we have some pretty good composure,” Hanna said. “We’ve got guys that can make plays. Carter made huge free throws at the end.”
“For not having a lot of wins, we’re practicing better now than we were at the beginning of the year. Nobody’s head’s down,” Winger said. “We’re making a lot of strides. Tonight, if we make a decent percentage of easy shots, we come out on top.”
“I think Lake City’s better than their record shows,” Hanna said. “They definitely can give some teams fits; they’re long, and they play well in that zone. And if you’re not shooting it real well, they’re going to stay with you.”
Coeur d’Alene travels to Moscow tonight at 6.
Lake City returns to action Thursday at Lewiston.
Coeur d’Alene 9 18 12 16 — 55
Lake City 8 9 16 18 — 51
COEUR d’ALENE — Blakeley-Whittaker 9, Karns 0, Friesz 17, King 9, Hostetter 8, Margo 0, Meade 0, Edwards 9.
LAKE CITY — Stellflug 11, Janke 6, Kiesbuy 16, Spellman 3, Hanson 12, Sundstrom 2, Brum 1.