Badger boys drop opener to Lakeland

BONNERS FERRY — On-target outside shooting spelled trouble for the Badger varsity boys basketball team Dec. 6 as they lost their first game of the season at home against Lakeland 35-63.

“Lakeland is definitely a solid team with eight seniors and three juniors,” said first-year head coach Andy Rice. “They were very quick, pushed the ball up the floor and shot early.”

Lakeland’s lead scorer, senior Tyrel Derrick, sunk four three-pointers as the Hawks pulled out to an early lead and never looked back.

Coach Rice was glad to see what his young team could do in a non-conference game to open the season. With only three seniors and a squad of eight total, the Badger boys were outnumbered and outplayed by a Hawk squad that couldn’t miss the basket.

“Hopefully we can learn from our mistakes and progress into a competitive team for league this year,” he said. “We are young and don’t have a lot of depth, so we really have to play a mentally tough game.”

Coach Rice would like to invite the community out to support his team in their upcoming games. The Badger boys play tonight against Lake City JV at home at 7 p.m. with the JV playing Lake City’s Freshmen at 5:30. On Saturday, Dec. 13 the boys travel to Newport before returning home to take on Sandpoint at the Moose Madness game Friday, Dec. 19 at 8 p.m.

Box Score:

1st 2nd 3rd 4th Final

Bonners Ferry 8 5 15 9 35

Lakeland 18 19 22 4 63

Bonners Ferry Merrifield 2, O’Hara 5, Harrington 6, Stockton 6, Stone 4, Carle 0, Nelson 4, Blackmore 8.

Lakeland Ram 2, Cooper 2, Derrick 18, Roth 5, Henry 14, McDevitt 3, Zubaly 2, Plunkett 2, Knight 2, O’Neal 0, Ray 8.