STATE GIRLS BASKETBALL: Playing tough schedule put Lake City in best position to make run at state title
By JASON ELLIOTT and MARK NELKE
Sports writers
As the state transitioned to using MaxPreps rankings to seed the state tournament in most high school sports this season, Lake City coach James Anderson knew to have his team in a good spot, he’d have to challenge his team early and often.
It seemed to work out well for the Timberwolves, who enter this week’s state 5A tournament as the top seed, facing Rocky Mountain (12-13) of Meridian today at 11 a.m. PDT at the Ford Idaho Center.
“We kind of knew going into the year that playing a tough schedule could help,” Anderson said. “Part of the reason why we invested in Vegas and playing in the highest (Diamond Bracket) division (at the Tarkanian Classic, where the Timberwolves finished second), we knew that was going to help a lot.”
5A: Lake City’s lone losses came to Spring Valley High of Las Vegas in the Tarkanian Classic championship, then to Coeur d’Alene twice in Inland Empire League play.
“Our wins, geographically speaking, going to the Tri-Cities and beating Chiawana, I knew those things would help,” Anderson said. “It was a little odd finishing ahead of Coeur d’Alene, who beat us twice.”
Only regular season standings are factored into the rankings. Postseason outcomes did not affect seeding.
Boise (19-3), the fifth seed, faces fourth seeded Post Falls (18-7) in the opening round on Thursday at 1 p.m., won the District 3 (Boise area) championship over Timberline (22-2), which is the second seed at state. It was Boise's first district title since 2004.
“I don’t fully understand it quite yet,” Anderson said of the MaxPreps rankings. “But they had us No. 1, so whatever we did, it must have worked.”
Lake City, back at state for the first time since finishing as consolation champions in 2019, faces the Grizzlies, a team the Timberwolves beat 71-49 in Coeur d’Alene on Dec. 3. Lake City, which has been the second seed to regionals the previous two years, has been upset in the the second-place game by Post Falls in 2020 and 2021.
“We’re just happy to be back at state, so we’ll play whoever we get,” Anderson said. “Winning the regional title was something the kids really wanted to do for K.P. (Kendall Pickford, the team’s only senior) and myself, who had been through the last couple of years where we haven’t been able to finish the deal.”
Lake City won state titles in 1995, the first year of the school, and 2007.
Post Falls advanced by upsetting league champion Coeur d'Alene 75-72 in the second-place game, then beating Owyhee of Meridian, a first-year school, in last Saturday’s state play-in game.
The Trojans went 14-2 to start the season, also playing in the Ruby Bracket (considered one level down from the Diamond Bracket) at the Tarkanian Classic and finishing second. Post Falls lost four of five games entering regionals, where the Trojans lost in the first round against Lake City before winning two straight.
“We just tried to get refocused in practice again,” Post Falls coach Marc Allert said. “We had to play with some composure and started to get back to how we were playing. We’ve played a lot of games where it was win or be done, and they didn’t want to be done. And I’m proud of them for that.”
Post Falls went 0-2 at state in 2021, falling in a loser-out game against Timberline. Allert has coached the Trojans to 5A titles in 2013 and 2018.
“Having six seniors and being there before, that will help a lot,” Allert said. “They’ve got a good idea of what state is all about. They’re all anxious to get back and finish it off at a state tournament.”
Rocky Mountain includes junior Brielle Magnuson, who played at Post Falls last year.
Boise boasts three seniors who have signed or committed to play in college — forward/center Ashley Banks (Southern Utah), guard Ella Nelson (Lewis-Clark State) and guard/forward Ava Oakland (Carroll College).
Mountain View, which won state titles in 2020 and 2021, failed to qualify this year.
4A: Sandpoint advanced to state for the eighth time in nine seasons by sweeping Lakeland in the best-of-3 4A Region 1 tournament.
The Bulldogs (12-8) will be the sixth seed and open against third seeded Preston (16-7) tonight at Mountain View High in Meridian starting at 4 p.m.
Defending champion Blackfoot (24-0) is the top seed in 4A and opens with Bishop Kelly (18-6).
3A: Kellogg (13-5), the No. 7 seed, opens vs. No. 2 Snake River (20-5) tonight at 6 at Eagle High.
Kellogg is at state for the first time since 2010. The Wildcats beat Timberlake for the district title, Kellogg's first district title since 2008.
Defending champion Timberlake fell in a play-in game last Saturday to Weiser. It is the first time since 2013 that the Tigers failed to advance to state. Since that year, Timberlake has won four state championships (2016, 2017, 2020, 2021), finished third twice (2018 and 2019) and been runner-up in 2014 and 2015.
Sugar-Salem (19-2), which has won seven state titles — six since 2007— is the top seed. The Diggers were second to Timberlake last year.
2A: Grangeville (19-3), the District 1-2 champion and top seed, opens at state with Declo (10-12) at Kuna High.
Defending champion Melba (19-3), the second seed, opens with North Fremont (12-10).
1A Division I: Wallace (16-4), the No. 7 seed opens vs. No. 2 Butte County (21-0) tonight at 6 at Columbia High in Nampa.
The Miners are at state for the first time since 2008. Wallace captured its first district title since 2013, then beat Clearwater Valley in a state play-in game.
Butte County has won five state titles, all since 2006, including going back-to-back in 2017 and ’18.
Grace, the 2021 champion, failed to advance.
1A Division II: Tri-Valley (15-6), the 2021 champion, is the seventh seed and opens with Council (16-0) at Nampa High.
Clark Fork, the District 1 champion, lost in a play-in game to Deary (15-5), which opens with Kendrick (18-5).