Big third quarter leads BFHS past Timberlake
Photo by MANDI BATEMAN Matt Morgan drives past opponents in last Friday's game against Genesis Preparatory Academy.
Photo by MANDI BATEMAN Ty Bateman passes the ball to a teammate behind him.
Photo by MANDI BATEMAN Ty Bateman drives to the basket during the Badgers’ Friday, Jan. 24, loss to visiting Genesis Prep.
Photo by MANDI BATEMAN Hayden Stockton drives to the basket during the make up game against Genesis preparatory Academy last Friday.
Photo by MANDI BATEMAN The Badger boys battle against their opponents.
Photo by MANDI BATEMAN Matt Morgan fighting to score for the Badgers.
Photo by MANDI BATEMAN Blake Rice looks for an opening to pass the ball.
BONNERS FERRY — Trailing by one at halftime, the host Badgers went on a 14-1 run in the third quarter to take command of Tuesday’s Intermountain League matchup and earn a 67-56 win over Timberlake.
Freshman Braeden Blackmore scored 21 points, many of them on putback baskets, as Bonners Ferry evened its IML record at 1-1. Ty Bateman added 17 as four Badgers scored in double figures.
“We had better ball movement after halftime,” Badgers coach Andy Rice said. “(Timberlake) played hard and pressured us, but it was one of our games where we didn’t get rattled and took care of the ball.”
Timberlake used a 9-0 run late in the second quarter to take a 24-23 halftime edge, and the Tigers (2-12 overall, 1-1 IML) opened their lead to 31-24 on Jacob James’ 3-pointer with 6:20 left in the third quarter.
Bateman answered with a 3-pointer to start Bonners Ferry’s run. An inside bucket from Matt Morgan and two Blackmore free throws finished the scoring spree, putting the Badgers in front 38-32 with 1:55 left in the period.
They ended the quarter with a flourish, with steals by Blackmore and Bateman resulting in baskets, as Bateman’s buzzer-beating jump shot put Bonners Ferry ahead 47-37 after three quarters.
“We’ve got some guys that are pretty scrappy, they have some good ‘ups’ and can battle for rebounds and loose balls,” Rice said.
James led a final Tigers rally in the fourth quarter, driving down the right side of the lane to pull Timberlake within 54-50.
Putback baskets by Blackmore and Bateman followed, and when Hayden Stockton found Morgan for an easy layup to beat the Tiger press, the Badgers led by double-digits with a minute remaining.
“We had the momentum (at halftime), but we haven’t played a good third quarter all year,” Timberlake coach Mike Menti said. “They did a good job of controlling the tempo of the game.”
James tallied 19 for Timberlake, despite constant hounding by Badger defenders. Jack McDonald added 12 points for Timberlake.
Stockton tallied 13 points and Morgan had 10 for the Badgers, who return to IML action on Saturday at Priest River.
Timberlake 3 21 13 19 — 56
BFHS 9 14 24 20 — 67
TIMBERLAKE — Peightal 2, Menti 2, Higgins 7, Yetter 7, McDonald 12, James 19, Dickinson 7.
BONNERS FERRY — Bateman 17, Stockton 13, Rice 4, Blackmore 21, Morgan 10, Hubbard 2, Mai 0, Petersen 0, Williams 0, Hines 0.