3A DISTRICT 1 BOYS BASKETBALL TOURNAMENT: Kellogg, Bonners Ferry advance to district title game

Kellogg and Bonners Ferry, the top two seeds, won first-round games at the 3A District 1 boys basketball tournament on Saturday.

Top-seeded Kellogg downed fourth-seeded Priest River 60-49 at Andrews Gymnasium in Kellogg. No. 2 Bonners Ferry beat No. 3 Timberlake 69-37.

Bonners Ferry (12-8) will play at Kellogg (14-7) on Tuesday at 7 p.m. in the district championship game. Timberlake (6-13) will play host to Priest River (8-12) on Tuesday at 7 in a loser-out game.

Kellogg 60, Priest River 49: Luke Frohlich had 17 points and six rebounds for the Wildcats, who held off a late comeback by the Spartans.

“I really loved what Luke Frohlich did,” Kellogg coach Mike Martin said. “Any time we needed a bucket, he was getting it for us.”

Kolby Luna added 13 points, Riply Luna 10 for Kellogg.

Trentyn Kreager scored 18 points, Blake Barrett 17 for Priest River.

“We got a loose defensively, a little loose with the basketball,” Martin said of the second half. “Once they (the Spartans) start knocking down shots, they can be tough. But we had done enough early … at this point, you take a win any way you can get it.”

Kellogg won by four points at Bonners Ferry, and beat the Badgers by 15 at home.

“They go deeper into their bench than anyone in the league,” Martin said. “They compete on defense, they compete on the glass. They can put five shooters on the floor.”

Priest River 8 8 18 15 — 49

Kellogg 15 19 16 10 — 60

PRIEST RIVER — Mathews 4, Butler 0, Kreager 18, Marinello 2, T. Engelson 0, Barrett 17, Z. Engelson 0, Thompson 0, Yount 8.

KELLOGG — Miller 6, Whatcott 0, R. Luna 10, K. Luna 13, McLean 0, Groves 9, Frohlich 17, Walker 5.

Bonners Ferry 69, Timberlake 37: Hunter Higgins scored 11 points, Zach Yetter 10 for the visiting Tigers, who hung with the Badgers for a quarter.

“We came out strong and did what we wanted to do,” said Timberlake coach Mike LaFountaine, who was missing two starters due to injury and illness. “And we stopped playing defense after that, and you got to play defense if you want to win any games.”

Ethan Hubbard scored 15 points for Bonners Ferry, which was also missing a starter to illness.

Timberlake 13 7 12 5 — 37

Bonners Ferry 18 18 12 21 — 69

TIMBERLAKE — Olivieri 7, Vallieres 0, Pasley 4, Z. Yetter 10, Millsap 0, Borges 2, H. Higgins 11, J. Yetter 0, Tan. Menti 0, MacArthur 3, V. Higgins 0.

BONNERS FERRY — Newell 1, E. Blackmore 2, Henslee 10, Petesch 7, A. Williams 6, Th. Bateman 12, Hubbard 15, Tr. Bateman 3, Mai 3, B. Blackmore 10.