PREP BASKETBALL: Ross helps St. Maries rally past Lakeland

ST. MARIES — Coleman Ross’ pull-up jumper with 3 minutes left — St. Maries’ only basket of the fourth quarter — gave the Lumberjacks the lead for good in a 53-48 victory over the Lakeland Hawks on Monday night in a back-and-forth matchup between the former Intermountain League foes.

“I was super proud of the boys, how they played defensively tonight,” St. Maries coach Bryan Chase said.

Ross, who tallied 26 points in a win at Bonners Ferry on Saturday night, scored seven of his 20 in the fourth quarter on Monday.

“He got off to a slow start this season, and we challenged him to get to the rim more, and he’s just been explosive around the basket,” Chase said, noting Ross had seven field goal attempts around the basket and went to the free-throw line 11 times, hitting six.

Tristan Gentry-Nelson scored eight of his 10 points in the first quarter for St. Maries (3-1), the defending state 2A champions. He and Ross each had five rebounds. Greyson Sands had five steals, and earned praise from Chase for his defense on Lakeland forward Grant Roth. Roth, who finished with 14 points, hit three 3-pointers early as Lakeland (1-4), last year’s 4A Region 1 champs, took an 11-4 lead. Chase then switched Sands, a guard, on Roth for the rest of the game.

Bryce Henry led Lakeland with 16 points.

“It was kind of a game of runs,” Chase said. “We were up 40-26 and next thing they were up 45-44 with 4 minutes left.”

St. Maries hit 9 of 11 from the line in the fourth quarter.

“Another tight game,” Lakeland coach Tony Hanna said. “We need to play more complete games. Too many stretches with mistakes and lack of scoring. Love how we continue to battle back; just can dig ourselves into a hole — especially against good teams like St. Maries.”

Lakeland plays at Priest River of the 3A Intermountain League tonight at 7.

Next up for St. Maries is the Owyhee Holiday Classic in Meridian, and a first-round matchup with Malad on Thursday.

Lakeland 18 6 12 12 — 48

St.Maries 17 13 12 11 — 53

LAKELAND — Nowell 0, Cameron 0, Rings 0, Henry 16, Munyer 6, Hocking 4, Boettcher 3, Roth 14, Haug 0, Loutzenhiser 2, Pearson 0, Anderson 3.

ST. MARIES — Gentry-Nelson 10, Sands 4, Badgett 0, Ross 20, Wolfe 0, Elliott 6, T. Renner 2, Wicks 0, C. Renner 9, Hill 2.

Christian Center School 51,

Kootenai Thunder 49 (OT)

Christian Center School defeated the Kootenai Thunder 51-49 in overtime at home in league action.

Colton Smith led with 25 points, including a buzzer-beating 3-pointer as the first half expired and two key free throws in the overtime period.

Smith also chipped in 9 rebounds and five steals.

Devon Hansen had 13 points and Joseph Badgley 8 for CCS. Zeke Roop led the Thunder with 19 points, while Malachi Duchon scored 10 and Andrew Smith hit for 9.

Christian Center School (3-3 overall, 2-4 league) plays Pullman Christian in league action on the road at 6 p.m. today in Pullman.

Christian Center 14 5 18 8 6—66

Kootenai Thunder 5 14 17 94—59

Christian Center — Hamblin 4, Barnhart 0, McWhorter 1, Smith 25, Hansen 13, Porter 0, Badgley 8