Tale of these Tigers something to behold

I want to bring your readers’ attention to a great high school basketball story from Mullan (Idaho) High School, which has fewer than 30 students.

Before the Tiger boys played their first real game of the season, first-year head coach Paul Elston found himself down to five players. You can’t start a game with four. He would soon pick up a sixth player. However, almost immediately he lost another player to a season-ending injury … Down to five and only five for the rest of the season.

Despite playing in the North Star League, which includes perennial Idaho powerhouse Genesis Prep, as well as Wallace and Lakeside (which were both excellent this year), the Mullan boys miraculously won seven games. That included competition against their non-league opponents. They could not substitute at all and often times had to play with four players when one of them fouled out. They won one game playing the whole fourth quarter with four after one of theirs rolled his ankle.

Near the end of the season, Mullan qualified as one of the four district participants (small school division) after a tough win against Clark Fork the night before. Unfortunately, the season took a toll. Three players became ill and couldn’t play in the district semifinal. You can’t play with two.

No, Mullan did not win a district or state championship. Hoosiers’ Jimmy Chitwood did not come out of the Idaho forest to lead them to a state title. Those kids did not win it but they competed as hard as anyone ever has.

•••

Bill Elston is a Spokane resident and Mullan High School basketball fan.