1A DIVISION II DISTRICT 1 CHAMPIONSHIP: Lakeside’s time ... Knights topple Genesis Prep, advance to state for first time since 2015

COEUR d’ALENE — The Lakeside Knights broke out smiles Thursday night that were three seasons in the making.

After two straight seasons of coming up short against their nemesis, the Knights finally broke through in a big way and earned a trip to state, pulling away from the Genesis Prep Jaguars 63-42 in the 1A Division II District 1 championship game at North Idaho College’s Rolly Williams Court.

“It means the world,” third-year Lakeside coach James Twoteeth said. “This is the third year I’ve had this group, and to see it all click ... I didn’t expect it to be like this — 21-0. I knew we were going to have a good year, but it’s kinda surreal that we haven’t lost a game.”

Senior Talon Twoteeth scored 15 points and junior JJ Hall added 13 for Lakeside (21-0), which advanced to state for the first time since 2015 — the last year the Knights won the district title. Lakeside will open state vs. Garden Valley (16-3) next Thursday at 5:15 p.m. PST at Caldwell High.

“It’s a great feeling,” said Talon Twoteeth, a three-year varsity member. “They (the Jaguars) have been so dominant the last three years, and it’s great to finally beat them.”

“It’s an amazing feeling,” Hall said. “We trusted in each other, and believed that we were going to make our shots.”

Genesis Prep (11-9) had won the last four district titles, all since joining the North Star League in 2015. The Jaguars were state champs in 2017 and ’18, and third in ’16 and last season.

Junior Eli Gonzales led Genesis Prep with 11 points. Junior Nathan Weeks made three 3-pointers and added 10 points, and freshman Steven Burgess also scored 10. Of Genesis Prep’s seven first-half field goals, five were 3s.

Vander Brown, a freshman making his first start of the season because the Lakeside coaches thought then needed more quickness against Genesis Prep, added 10 points. Junior Kenyon Spotted Horse added eight points. Darren “Day Day” Higgins, a 6-foot-8 junior who was named MVP of the North Star League following the game, was in foul trouble most of the night and finished with six points.

The Jaguars hit three 3s in the first four minutes, two by Weeks, and led 9-4.

Lakeside, a nice passing and shooting outfit, answered with a 12-0 run capped by a reverse layup by Higgins following a steal and feed ahead by Spotted Horse.

The Knights led by as much as 14 points in the first half and took a 32-20 lead into the locker room.

Lakeside expanded its lead to 44-27 with less than 3 minutes left in the third quarter when senior Emmitt White, who had started all season, gathered a cross-court pass from Talon Twoteeth and sank a 3-pointer from the left corner.

Anytime Genesis Prep made a run, Lakeside answered. Brown penetrated and kicked to junior reserve Jasper Abuan for a 3 to make it 51-36 with 5 minutes.

And when Spotted Horse finished off a fast break with a spinning, back-to-the-basket layup, tossing the ball in over his head and drawing a foul moments later — well, that might have been when the smiles began.

They’re a good group of kids,” James Twoteeth said. “They’ve grown up together, and they’re ready to do it. Hopefully we can go down there and bring some hardware back.”

Genesis Prep coach Marsell Colbert had hugs for the Lakeside players as they went through the handshake line after the game.

“This is their year, man,” Colbert said. “The difference between the two teams is, they were very experienced, they’ve played together the last 4-5 years, and we’re a young team. Hats’s off to them, man, and I wish them the best. I told all of them to bring a trophy back up North. So hopefully they will do just that.”

Genesis Prep 12 8 14 8 — 42

Lakeside 16 16 14 17 — 63

GENESIS PREP — Schroeder 0, Daniels 0, Mwinuka 5, Burgess 15, Weeks 10, Neely 6, Gonzales 11, Brosenne 0, Snowder 0, Russworm 0, Shin 0.

LAKESIDE — Brown 10, Abuan 6, Higgins 6, White 5, Hall 13, Twoteeth 15, Spotted Horse 8, Matt 0.

ALL-NORTH STAR LEAGUE

MVP — Darren “Day Day” Higgins, jr., Lakeside.

ALL-LEAGUE: LAKESIDE — Emmitt White, sr.; Talon Twoteeth, sr.; Kenyon Spotted Horse, jr.; JJ Hall, jr. GENESIS PREP — Steven Burgess, fr.; Seth Neely, sr. WALLACE — Carter Bailey, jr.; Hayden Hogamier, jr.; Logan Hull, sr. CLARK FORK — Josh Constantin, sr. MULLAN — Luke Trogden, so.