Lady Badgers win two league games, eye districts next week

BONNERS FERRY — With the postseason beginning Monday, the Bonners Ferry girls’ basketball team topped two Intermountain League foes before facing a tough task in defending state champion Timberlake.

The Lady Badgers started three of the four quarters well as they hosted the Kellogg Wildcats on Friday, Jan. 26. In the first quarter the Badgers used a tight man to man defense to get some stops and jumped out to a 18-7 lead. After a 26-17 halftime lead, the Badgers switched to a zone, which led to a quick 6-0 run to start the second half. Jerzie Pluid then had a run of her own scoring 6 straight points early in the fourth quarter to put the game away, and host Bonners Ferry went on to a 62-40 victory.

Offensively, the Badgers had a balanced scoring attack with four Badgers scoring in double digits led by Kassy Skeen with 13. Pluid had 10 rebounds to go along with her 12 points.

“Kellogg didn’t really have an answer for Jerzie. It was great to see the offensive balance. It’s hard to beat a team when you have to guard and stop all of them,” said coach Travis Hinthorn.

Kellogg 7 10 16 7 — 40

Bonners Ferry 18 8 22 14 — 62

Kellogg: Cates 17, Riekena 0, Nuse 0, Rauenhorst 0, Van Hoose 9, Senteney 7, Bristow 0, Figueroa 3, Brandt 4.

Bonners Ferry: Skeen 13, Pluid 12, Villelli 0, Wenk 11, Burt 0, Bateman 12, Ansley 9, Liermann 2, Ram 2, Blackmore 1.

The next night, Bonners Ferry traveled to Priest River for another IML contest, and topped the Spartans 53-25.

Miranda Wenk led the Lady Badgers with 19 points and 13 rebounds as Bonners Ferry jumped out to a 23-5 first quarter lead and cruised to the victory. Kadi Bateman contributed 11 points and teamed up with fellow senior guard Kassy Skeen to combine for 14 of the team’s 24 steals.

Bonners Ferry 23 10 14 6 — 53

Priest River 5 9 4 7 — 25

Bonners Ferry: Skeen 6, Pluid 4, Villelli 0, Wenk 19, Burt 4, Bateman 11, Ansley 5, Liermann 2, Ram 0, Blackmore 2.

Priest River: Kren 2, Rusho 0, Brown 0, Fink 8, Fitzmorris 0, Martinez 5, Jo. Martin 3, Minish 2, Ja. Martin 5.

After Bonners Ferry lost by only 12 points at Timberlake three weeks ago, Tuesday night’s rematch was shaping up as a statement game of sorts for the host Badgers.

However, the statement was made by the visiting and two-time defending state 3A champion Tigers.

“There was a message, and we were hoping the message was, ‘Here we are,’” Bonners Ferry coach Travis Hinthorn said. “And the message was, ‘No, you’re not.’”

Timberlake outscored Bonners Ferry 23-8 in the second quarter to break the game open, and coasted to a 71-49 victory to clinch its fourth straight Intermountain League title.

“I think they were a little upset that there was so much hype for this game,” Hinthorn said of the Tigers. “We got into foul trouble in the second quarter, and they capitalized on it.”

Lilly Kelley scored 15 points, Brooke Jessen and Kayle Jezek 14 each for Timberlake (17-3, 6-0 IML).

“We went man, and they blew by us, and we went zone and they just passed well and hit a lot of 3s,” Hinthorn said.

Kassy Skeen, Miranda Wenk and Holly Ansley each scored 11 points for Bonners Ferry (15-4, 3-2), which travels to Kellogg on Thursday in IML play to wrap up the regular season.

Timberlake will face Priest River on Monday at 6:15 p.m. in the first round of the 3A District 1 tournament at North Idaho College in Coeur d’Alene. Bonners and Kellogg will meet in a first-round game Monday at 4:30 at NIC.

Timberlake 14 23 17 17 — 71

Bonners Ferry 10 8 9 22 — 49

TIMBERLAKE — Tonkin 9, Starr 7, Kelley 15, Kronenberg 0, Soumas 4, Bronson 0, Jessen 14, Bremer 0, Allen 0, Linehan 0, Jezek 14, Willis 8.

BONNERS FERRY — Skeen 11, Pluid 9, Villelli 0, Wenk 11, Burt 0, Bateman 5, Ansley 11, Liermann 0, Ram 0, Blackmore 2.