COLLEGE BASKETBALL: Former Lake City star Mitchell transferring to Idaho

By MARK NELKE

Sports editor

Kolton Mitchell didn’t exactly stray that far away.

But now the former Lake City High basketball star is returning closer to home.

Mitchell, whose first season at Idaho State ended early due to a finger injury that required surgery, announced on his Instagram page that he has verbally committed to play at the University of Idaho.

Mitchell, a 6-foot-1 point guard, entered the transfer portal in early March, shortly after Idaho State was eliminated from the Big Sky Conference tournament in Boise.

He received a scholarship offer shortly thereafter from Idaho, which just completed its first season under coach Alex Pribble.

“I love coach Pribble and what he’s all about,” Mitchell told The Press. “Facilities are beautiful. I have lots of friends and ex-teammates that I can watch on the football team.

“Want to be close to home,” he added. “Being able to play in front of my parents is a big one for me. Also being able to play in front of a familiar community where people know who I am and want me to succeed.”

Mitchell played in 10 games at ISU, all coming off the bench. He averaged 7.3 points and 2.1 assists in 18 minutes per game, including a high of 18 points in a game at Campbell on Nov. 21.

“I wasn’t happy there,” Mitchell said of ISU. “Just wasn’t a place for me.”

Mitchell said he will receive a medical redshirt, and have four years of eligibility remaining. 

Mitchell chose the Vandals over offers from UC Davis, Furman, Eastern Washington and Chattanooga.

“I could’ve gone bigger and had the same role I had this year, but I want to be part of something special that coach Pribble is building at Idaho,” Mitchell said.

Idaho went 11-21 in Pribble’s first season in Moscow. It was the Vandals’ most wins since the 2017-18 season.

McCLIMENT-CALL TO JOIN VANDALS

Tyler McCliment-Call, who helped Post Falls High win the state 5A girls basketball championship as a sophomore in 2018, has committed to the University of Idaho.

“Final stop,” she announced on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter.

After playing at Post Falls, McCliment-Call played her final two seasons at University High in Spokane Valley.

The 6-foot guard then played one season at the University of Portland before transferring to Stephen F. Austin in Nacogdoches, Texas, where she averaged 8.4 points per game this past season.