THE FRONT ROW WITH JASON ELLIOTT: Throw out records and get to the good stuff

It’s quite possible that a team from the 5A Inland Empire League finds its way into championship Saturday at the Ford Idaho Center.

Maybe, or it could have been a team that either Post Falls, Coeur d’Alene or Lake City faced in a three-day tournament in the Idaho Falls area.

One thing is for certain, the business trip likely did more good in the long run.

WITH TEAMS in the Boise/Meridian area unable to travel due to restrictions thus far, the teams from the north and east have had to get a little more creative with their scheduling for basketball games.

In previous years, sometimes a team or two made the trip up from Boise to compete in the Lake City Holiday Classic, or some nonleague girls basketball games in mid-November.

Not in 2020.

Boys teams from the north went 1-8 in the tournament, with the lone win coming when Lake City beat Hillcrest 63-60 in overtime. In the three games, Coeur d’Alene lost by a combined 11 points and Post Falls by seven.

First-year Coeur d’Alene boys coach Jon Adams is encouraged by the Vikings 2-4 record so far.

“There’s a lot of new players and we’ve been waiting for them to gel and click,” Adams said. “And we really could have won at least 2 of the 3. When you look at it, we’re a free throw, or a few rebounds from winning those games. It’s a tough environment, but we can compete with anyone in the state.”

Coeur d’Alene visits Post Falls on Tuesday night.

In the tournament, Coeur d’Alene played without starting guard Owen Smith, who was out with an illness.

“We came out of things healthy and feeling good,” Adams said. “Owen didn’t make the trip because he was a little under the weather, but when we get back, he’ll be right in the mix for us again.”

For the teams from the north, it’s also a chance to see a different style of game, somewhat similar to a postseason setting.

“When we’re down here in the east, it’s a more physical game and called much like the state tournament,” Post Falls boys basketball coach Mike McLean said. “Being here prepares us for the state tournament.”

And when you’re the state runner-up from the last state tournament, like Post Falls, teams are going to treat those games like a championship game.

“Right now, we’re trying to find our identity,” McLean said. “Everyone is giving us their best shot each and every time we play. We lost some tight games and put ourselves into some uncharacteristic situations.”

FOR THOSE girls teams from the north, Coeur d’Alene, Lake City and Post Falls each went 2-1, posting a 6-3 record.

Of common opponents, both Post Falls and Lake City lost to Rigby. Coeur d’Alene lost to Thunder Ridge of Idaho Falls in overtime.

“It’s basically a big learning experience,” Post Falls girls basketball coach Marc Allert said. “We played from behind and ahead. Tournaments like this are all about learning and getting better each day.”

Post Falls closed its run at the Thunder Ridge tournament with a win at the buzzer on a layup by Kaysha Walton.

“I told the girls we need to change our name to Silverwood because we’re a big rollercoaster right now,” Allert said. “We’re just trying to eliminate the bad things and start doing the good things during games.”

And while the results from the past week won’t matter when it comes to seeding come February or March, it should benefit those who are still playing at that time.

Because that’s when the north has been good in recent years.

Really good.

Jason Elliott is a sports writer for The Press. He can be reached by telephone at (208) 664-8176, Ext. 2020 or via email at [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter @JECdAPress.