STATE 2A BOYS THIRD-PLACE GAME: Lakeside struggles with Grace's size, falls in state 2A third-place game

By JASON ELLIOTT

Sports writer

CALDWELL – You can make up for a lot of different things with athletic, skilled players.

But if you can’t match up with size, often times it’s going to be a tough ask.

And for the second straight game, the fourth-seeded Lakeside Knights had a mountain they just couldn’t climb.

Lakeside, which had advanced to the state championship game the past two seasons, winning the 2023 1A Division I (now 2A) title, was outrebounded 51-28 in a 63-55 loss to the seventh-seeded Grace Grizzlies in the state 2A third-place game at Vallivue High.

“I told them this team is huge,” Lakeside coach James Twoteeth said. “I told them that if they thought yesterday’s game (against Kamiah) was physical, this one was going to be twice that. You can never really prepare for that really.”

Lakeside fell behind 36-23 early in the third quarter before rallying to take a 40-38 lead late in the quarter. 

“I was just harping on them,” Twoteeth said. “Show me some fight and show me you want to be here. It’s been a thing all year about our effort, especially on defense. If you get a hand in their face, they’ll miss and we were just watching them.”

Lakeside shot 21 of 56 from the field, led by junior Tyson Charley with 26 points, eight rebounds and three assists.

“This whole tournament has been Ada against five,” Charley said. “Maybe it was because we’re native, but we were boxing out. But we deal with it every year. It’s nothing new to us.”

Lakeside led 40-38 in the third quarter on a 3-pointer by junior Hallah Peone, who finished with 14 points after scoring 53 in the first two games. 

Grace used a 9-0 run midway through the fourth quarter to take the lead for good.

Laexin Van Gass, a 6-foot-5 post, had 23 points and nine rebounds for Grace (14-14), which had to win a play-in game to advance. Lakeside, which also won the 1A Division II title in 2020 and was third in 1A Division I in 2021, failed to trophy at state for the first time since 2015.

“I just wanted to win because it’s my last year with (senior) Preston (SpottedHorse),” Charley said. “And I really wanted to get him one before he leaves.”

Lakeside, which played only one senior, finished 16-7.

“It’s been rough,” said Charley, who has been playing through a torn left meniscus most of the season. “We had a lot of ups and downs and had to fix a lot of things. Other than that, it was a pretty good season and gives us something to work for next year.”

“It’s building blocks,” Twoteeth said. “You’ve got to continue to get better and get the kids in the gym getting better each day. That’s what it takes.”

Grace        13    19    13    18    –    63

Lakeside    10    13    20    12    –    55

GRACE – Hill 7, Smith 4, Kimball 4, Draper 0, Van Gass 23, Smith 14, Reeves 4, Yost 4, Moss 3. Totals 24-64 11-15 63.

LAKESIDE – Peone 14, Louie 5, Greensky 0, SpottedHorse 6, Charley 26, Pluff 4. Totals 21-56 5-8 55. 

    JASON DUCHOW PHOTOGRAPHY Lakeside junior Hallah Peone drives through the Grace defense during Saturday's state 2A boys basketball third-place game at Vallivue High in Caldwell.