STATE 5A BOYS BASKETBALL: Arrieta’s 3s, Strawn’s late-game heroics propel Lake City into consolation championship game

By MARK NELKE

Sports editor

MERIDIAN — While Lake City was rolling to an undefeated state championship last season, Braydn Arrietta was toiling on the Timberwolves junior varsity team.

This year, as a senior, Arrietta is making the most of his lone season on the varsity.

On Friday, the 6-foot-1 Arrietta hit 6 of 7 3-pointers and scored 20 points as seventh-seeded Lake City beat sixth seed Eagle 70-65 in a loser-out game of the state 5A tournament at Rocky Mountain High.

“Definitely put a chip on my shoulder, made me work harder,” Arrietta said of last season. “I had my ups and downs, but I stuck with these guys, and it’s been my best season so far.”

Lake City (17-10) will play fifth seed Capital (18-9) of Boise in the consolation championship today at 9 a.m. PST at Ridgevue High in Nampa. Capital beat No. 8 Middleton 56-51.

In a way, Arrietta playing on the JV helped him bond with that group, many of which moved up to the varsity together this year. His six 3s on Friday gave him 67 on the year, which would have been a single-season record — but teammate Reese Strawn, a junior, broke it earlier in the season, and now has 92 3s.

“When someone shoots 6 for 7, you’re always trying to find them,” said Strawn, who finished with 25 points and seven assists. “He’s shooting (45) percent for the year, so there’s never a time you’re not looking for someone who’s shooting that high of a percentage.”

“Just so happy for him,” first-year Lake City boys coach James Anderson said of Arrietta. “He’s such a good kid, he’s  been such a humble leader, and he’s done everything we’ve asked. One of the more enjoyable kids I’ve coached. I’d going to miss him a ton, and it’s hard to believe it’s down to one day.”

Strawn, one of just two returning players who played significant minutes last year, scored 16 of his 25 points in the fourth quarter. He finished 8 of 19 from the field, including 2 of 10 from deep. With Lake City up 3 and the shot clock winding down, Strawn found space to hit a 15-footer to the right of the lane with 38 seconds left that all but sealed the game. 

“He’s made like seven or eight of those this year, so it’s not a huge surprise,” Anderson said. “Even in games he’s not shooting well, when it’s a big moment, he steps up.”

“I noticed the guy guarding me got stuck on a screen from Jordan (Carlson),” Strawn said. “I had the big, shot clock was winding down, so I just rose up.”

Strawn also broke the single-season record for most points at Lake City. Matt Dlouhy scored 497 in 2002; Strawn is now at 505.

Junior Cason Miller, the other returnee with much experience, added 10 points, five assists and four steals.

“Told them today, a little bit of a test if you can get back up when you get knocked down,” Anderson said. “And two, to me, because we’re out of the running for the biggest trophy, this is the first day of next season, and what we want to be next season. We think we can be pretty good, and I think Braydn maybe took that personal, and had the game of his life. Now I’m worried about us moving on without  him.”

With Lake City up 59-58, Miller stole the ball and took it to the basket for a three-point play for a four-point lead with 2:06 remaining. In a game with 15 lead changes, the T-Wolves never trailed again.

“We got stops, defensively,” Anderson said of the second half. “That’s been the big thing for us, if we’re ever going to turn the corner as a team, we’ve got to get more stops defensively. We brought back the ‘kill’ concept of three consecutive stops is one kill. It’s a stat that a lot of college teams use. We got five kills in the second half, after none in the first half. Our defense dialed in a little more. Carter Kloos (a junior) came off the bench at the start of the fourth quarter when we made our run, and gave us a huge burst defensively, blocked a huge shot at the rim, allowed us to play our zones. He’s dynamic because we can switch defenses when he’s in, and use his dynamic athleticism and length.”

Senior guard Cole Pugh led Eagle (17-11) with 20 points. Senior point guard Russell Gibson added 14 points. Cal Huish, a tight end who has signed with Idaho (after he serves a two-year LDS church mission) had 12 points and nine rebounds. 

Lake City     21    14    11    24    —    70

Eagle    18    18    12    17    —    65

LAKE CITY — Parker 2, Strawn 25, Miller 10, Watson 6, Kloos 1, Arrieta 20, Carlson 6. Totals 25-47 11-15 70.

EAGLE — Shipp 0, Pugh 20, Robideau 2, Howse 9, Taylor 4, Palfreyman 0, Gibson 14, Hush 12, Perkins 4. Totals 25-46 9-12 65.