STATE 3A GIRLS BASKETBALL: Timberlake gets defensive, claims third

MIDDLETON — Once the Tigers locked in, they locked down the Panthers when it mattered most.

Timberlake, seeded third, held fourth-seeded Parma to 10 second-half points in a 46-27 win in the state 3A third-place game on Saturday at Middleton HIgh.

“We did a better job defensively on the defensive end, especially in that third quarter,” said Timberlake coach Matt Miller, whose team outscored Parma 17-6 in the third. “It wound up being a big deal. We were able to finish with rebounds and played good defense instead of giving them a lot of second-chance opportunities. I was really happy with the offensive and defensive rebounding in the second half.”

Timberlake led 19-17 at halftime.

“The girls were just really engaged with doing their job and staying locked in,” said Miller, in his 19th season at Timberlake. “Parma was shooting really well and we tried to commit to guarding their shooters, which helped.”

Junior Diana Nelson had six points and 13 rebounds, sophomore Payton Young 10 points and three assists for Timberlake, which played the entire season without sophomore Malia Miller, daughter of the head coach and a first-team all-Idaho selection last year, who suffered a torn ACL last summer.

Parma hit four 3-pointers in the first half, but none in the second half.

Timberlake (18-7) was third at state in 2019. It was the Tigers' 13th trip to state in 16 seasons, and the 12th straight trip in which Timberlake brought home a trophy.

“It’s still a pretty young group,” said Miller, who started just one senior.

Parma finished 19-8.

Parma    13    4    6    4    —    27

Timberlake    11    8    17    10    —    46

PARMA — Jackson 9, M. Gentry 0, Hardcastle 3, H. Gentry 2, Kaiser 0, Heffelinger 0, Calkins 7, Harris 6. Totals 8-36 7-14 27.

TIMBERLAKE — Soumas 0, Dickinson 0, Young 10, Nelson 6, MacArthur 6, Simpson 4, Sjolund 0, Needs 8, Dykes 0, Yetter 3, McKellips 9. Totals 16-53 7-12 46.