PREP BOYS BASKETBALL: Post Falls wakes up, downs Pocatello

POCATELLO — It could turn out being the best wakeup call the Post Falls boys basketball could have asked for.

Not only was it the end of a four-day run in eastern Idaho, but it also meant the Trojans could return home, start practicing and get back to work again.

As for the game, Alex Horning scored 19 points, Isaac Ballew 12 points and Cole Rutherford had seven points and nine assists for Post Falls in a 48-46 win over the Pocatello Thunder on Thursday morning.

“It was an extremely physical game, which was perfect for us,” Post Falls coach Mike McLean said. “It was good to play in an early game. Pocatello had a plan to take some things away, but I thought both Alex and Isaac played really well and Cole did a good job of moving the ball around. It was a very physical, defensive battle.”

Post Falls opened the season with a 44-41 win over Pocatello in the Ripley’s Christmas Tournament on Dec. 17 at Middleton High. The Trojans went 1-3 on their eastern trip, falling twice by a single point and another in overtime.

“We did a better job of defending today,” McLean said. “It’s a long season, and like most other teams, not having a summer puts us a little behind. We’ve played seven games and each team has attacked us a little differently.”

Post Falls (4-3) hosts Coeur d’Alene on Tuesday.

Matthew Christensen scored 18 points for Pocatello (5-2).

Post Falls 13 16 12 7 — 48

Pocatello 12 14 9 11 — 46

POST FALLS — McLean 3, Hauser 0, Rodriguez 2, Peterson 2, Rutherford 7, Ballew 13, Sciortino 0, Lee 2, Horning 19, Shields 0.

POCATELLO — Bowie 2, Christensen 18, Brown 1, Nielsen 2, Payne 17, Killian 0, Williams 6.