PREP BASKETBALL: Connelly, Moore put on a show as Coeur du Christ outlasts Kootenai

| January 25, 2025 1:10 AM

• BOYS

HARRISON FLATS — Ben Connelly of Coeur du Christ and Chris Moore of Kootenai put on a scoring duel for the ages Friday night.

Connelly, a senior, scored 51 points as the visiting Coeur du Christ Saints outscored the Kootenai Warriors 91-81 in a North Star League shootout between teams tied for the league lead.

Meanwhile Moore, also a senior, poured in 53 in a losing effort.

“Well, there aren’t too many coaches that can tell you that they just witnessed two kids put up one of the best shooting duels I’ve seen in a long time,” Kootenai coach Tom Tucker said.

Connelly scored 30 of his points in the first half for Coeur du Christ (9-5, 2-0 NSL). Grant Clemens added 20 points for the Saints.

Logan Strobel added 13 points for Kootenai (1-9, 1-1), which was coming off a league win over Mullan on Thursday night.

“We proved we are legit tonight, facing a well-coached, very aggressive Saints team, fighting until the end,” Tucker said. “The parents and fans all saw this evening a team that played their hearts out.”

Kootenai plays host to Highland of Craigmont on Monday.

Coeur du Christ travels to Timberlake on Tuesday.

Coeur du Christ 24 28 21 18 — 91

Kootenai 22 19 18 22 — 81

COEUR du CHRIST – Anderson 0, Ja. Cools 0, Clemens 20, Connelly 51, Clute 2, Hayes 4, Je. Cools 6, Mudrick 2, Denke 6.

KOOTENAI – Addington 0, Derry 0, Braz 6, Strobel 13, C. Moore 53, J. Moore 0, Berkshire 0, Gentry 9, Myers 0.

Bonners Ferry 80

St. Maries 34

BONNERS FERRY — Asher Williams scored 12 of his game-high 24 points in the first quarter as the host Badgers jumped out to a 33-7 lead after one en route to the nonleague victory over the Lumberjacks.

Thomas Bateman added 21 points, Brody Rice 14, Sulay Abubakari 11 for Bonners Ferry (16-0), the top-ranked team in 4A, which extended its winning streak to 33 games.

"Four guys in double digits, but I was really encouraged with our effort on the defensive end," Bonners Ferry coach Nathan Williams said.

Isaiah Gustaffe scored 10 points for 3A St. Maries (6-7), which returns to action Thursday at Orofino.

Bonners Ferry plays host to Lakeland on Tuesday.

St. Maries 7 7 14 6 — 34

Bonners Ferry 33 16 23 8 — 80

ST. MARIES – Harold 6, Sexton 2, J. Barta 5, Yearout 8, Gustaffe 10, B. Barta 0, Riberich 3.

BONNERS FERRY – Schrock 0, Blackmore 5, Rice 14, Hinthorn 0, Williams 24, Bateman 21, Cartwright 5, Abubakari 11.

Genesis Prep 53

Wallace 52

WALLACE — Gabe Meyer scored 16 points, seven coming in the third quarter for the Jaguars, who survived a missed layup in the closing seconds by the hosts for a Scenic Idaho Conference win over the Miners at Kirby Krulitz Court.

Dylan Tosh scored 12 points, Spencer Farrell 11 for Genesis Prep (8-9, 3-1 SIC), which travels to Mullan on Monday. The Jaguars were coming off a double-overtime loss at home to Timberlake on Thursday night.

Julian Davis scored 19 points, Cooper Miller 18 for Wallace (8-6, 1-3), which travels to Troy next Friday.

Genesis Prep 9 11 18 15 — 53

Wallace 18 13 8 13 — 52

GENESIS PREP — Nichols 6, Tosh 12, Martin 6, S. Bateman 1, Meyer 16, I. Bateman 1, Farrell 11, Gintz 0.

WALLACE — Miller 18, Davis 19, Guardipee 2, Larson 0, Myles 11, Williams 2.

N.I. Christian 49

Christian Center 41

COEUR d’ALENE — James Morast scored a game-high 17 points for the Royals in a Mountain Christian League win over the Lions at Holy Family Catholic School.

Carson Malinauskas scored 13 points for North Idaho Christian (6-10, 4-6 MCL), which faces Spokane Classical Christian on Monday.

Cyrus Coppinger scored 14 points for Christian Center (12-3, 10-3).

Christian Center 10 11 6 14 — 41

N.I. Christian 13 8 17 11 — 49

CHRISTIAN CENTER — Coppinger 14, Quimby 10, McWhorter 4, Jones 3, Siers 3, Vara 3, Marshall 2, Kunkle 2.

NORTH IDAHO CHRISTIAN — J. Morast 17, Ca. Malinauskas 13, Co. Malinauskas 8, Holte 6, Finney 5.

• GIRLS

Kellogg 59

St. Maries 34

ST. MARIES — Sophomore Jordyn Stutzke scored 13 points for the Wildcats in a Central Idaho League win over the Lumberjacks.

Freshman Peyton Storey scored 11 points for Kellogg (7-8, 3-2 CIL), which is tied for second with Priest River.

Senior Brenna Elliott scored nine points for St. Maries (3-12, 1-4), which hosts Priest River on Tuesday.

Kellogg 16 18 13 12 — 59

St. Maries 9 6 10 6 — 34

KELLOGG — Philp 3, M. Groth 7, Schillereff 1, P. Storey 11, Yrjana 2, Stutzke 13, A. Groth 10, Henrikson 10, Potts 0, Munoz 0.

ST. MARIES — B. Elliott 9, Thomas 2, Martin 8, Baird 6, K. Elliott 0, Caldwell 4, Keneally 0, Sloper 2, Million 2.

Christian Center 46

N.I. Christian 44

COEUR d’ALENE — Katie Siers hit a 3-pointer with 20 seconds remaining to send the Lions past the Royals in a Mountain Christian League game, ending the Royals’ 37-game conference win streak at Holy Family Catholic School.

Siers, who made six 3-pointers, finished with 31 points for Christian Center (9-6, 9-3 MCL).

Chelsey Cate, who gave the Royals a 44-43 lead on a layup in the final minute, had 20 points, 10 rebounds and three blocked shots and Yesi Pilgrim had 10 rebounds for North Idaho Christian (10-5, 7-1), which faces Spokane Classical Christian on Monday at the HUB Sports Center in Liberty Lake.

Christian Center 11 7 16 14 — 46

N.I. Christian 4 16 14 12 — 44

CHRISTIAN CENTER — Barnhart 0, Gould 2, Epke 6, Smith 2, Bell 0, Siers 31, Stanton 3, Milligan 4.

NORTH IDAHO CHRISTIAN — Ellis 0, Jordan 17, Cate 20, Salaiz 3, Brotherton 4, Pilgrim 0.

• LATE THURSDAY

Lakeside 68

Wallace 44

WALLACE — Junior Kyleigh Wolfe scored 33 points for the Knights in a Scenic Idaho Conference win over the Miners at Kirby Krulitz Court on Thursday.

“Lakeside played very well, great shooters and great defense,” Wallace coach Nichole Farkas said. “We had a tough time with their defense, so definitely a game to learn from and things to work on.”

Lakeside (8-5, 5-0 SIC), which has clinched the league title and top seed to the 2A District 1 tournament, hosts Lake Roosevelt today.

Wallace (7-7, 3-3) hosts Kellogg on Tuesday.

Lakeside 17 25 19 6 — 68

Wallace 10 7 10 17 — 44

LAKESIDE — Gorr 1, Pluff 10, Wolfe 33, Charley 14, Matheson 6, Lowley 0, Hodgson 0, Stensgar 2, Leo 0, Matt 0, Lambert 0, Peone 0.

WALLACE — K. Phillips 14, Au. Birdsell 5, Voorhees 0, Wood 13, Stutzke 0, Hanks 3, Delano 3, Al. Birdsell 0, B. Phillips 6.