Badgers end Priest River’s season

BONNERS FERRY — The Badger girls basketball smashed the Spartans for a second time in a week at the loser-out game Tuesday.

The Badgers traveled to Timberlake yesterday to finish up 3A Intermountain League districts. On Tuesday, Kellogg dethroned Timberlake who has ruled the IML for the past decade. Due to the print deadline, the game and results will be covered in the next edition of the Bonners Ferry Herald.

The first quarter ended 11-10 with the Badgers in the lead and in the second the Badgers went on a 17-point run against the Spartans. The Badgers had the height advantage and out rebounded Priest River giving them more opportunities at the basket. The Badgers scored 21 points in the second quarter to the Spartans six.

The Badgers overcame a struggle they have had all season — sending their opponents to the foul line. In the third, the Badgers were the only ones shooting free throws. In the fourth, Spartan Lilly Freitas was the only Priest River player to get to the line. She was two for six.

The Spartans played with just six players on Tuesday, two were out sick and one was out with a concussion.

“Priest River missed shots to start and broke our press, so we switched to man defense to get us going,” said head coach Travis Hinthorn. “We started attacking the basket and moved from looking to pass to looking to score.”

The Badgers filled the stats sheet. Asha Abubarkari was the high scorer for the Badgers with 16 points, Markynn Pluid chipped in 12 points. The Badgers had 12 steals. Kaylee Sumpter made four steals and scored or gained an assist on most of them.

The Badgers ate up nearly every rebound in the game. Abubakari had 11 rebounds, Braylyn Bayer had six, Mia Blackmore and Sumpter had five.

Bonners Ferry — 11 21 15 7 54

Priest River — 10 6 7 4 27

BONNERS FERRY: Abubarkari 16, Pluid 12, B. Bayer 8, Blackmore 7, Sumpter 7, Villaluz 2, A. Bayer 2, Burt 0, Falck 0, Petesch 0, Tompkins 0.

PRIEST RIVER: Freitas 16, Pound 6, McCracken 3, Kinery 2, Davis 0, Thompson 0.

PRIEST RIVER — The Badgers girls basketball won their season finale against the Spartans on Feb. 2.

The Badgers finished the first quarter against Priest River with a six-point lead, then jumped ahead to a 35-8 lead at halftime. The Badgers had a slow start but exploded for 26 second quarter points on their way to a 56-20.

The Spartans only scored 12 more points the rest of the game instilling a 56-20 league win for the Badgers.

Priest River played without one of their top scorers in Aly Barton, who did not play due to a concussion. They had a light bench with only seven players able to play.

Three Badgers hit double digits as the girls have upped their shooting game throughout the season.

Asha Abubakari led the Badgers with 15 points and 13 rebounds.

“They did a good job of keeping the ball out of Asha’s hands with a box and 1 on her, so she just crashed the boards and scored most of her points from her 9 offensive rebounds,” said head coach Travis Hinthorn.

Markynn Pluid added 12 points and 6 rebounds. Avery Bayer scored 10 points including two three pointers and Kaylee Sumpter and Kara Villaluz scored eight points each for a balanced Badger offense.

Sam Pound led the Spartans with 15 points.

Bonners Ferry — 9 26 12 9 56

Priest River — 3 5 5 7 20

Bonners Ferry: Burt 0, Villaluz 8, Pluid 12, Blackmore 0, Abubakari 15, B. Bayer 3, Sumpter 8, A. Bayer 10.

Priest River: Duquette 0, Pound 15, Freitz 2, Thompson 0, Humphrey 3, Kraken 0, Kingery 0.

Lady Badgers lose in first district game.

The Badgers fell behind 6-22 in the first quarter of the Intermountain League girls basketball districts and lost 49-60 to the host Wildcats of Kellogg on Feb. 5.

“That is how our last three games with Kellogg have started,” Hinthorn said. “Down there we get in a big hole and try to claw back. At home we jumped out to an early lead and held on to beat them.”

Asha Abubakari led the Badgers with 25 points and 8 rebounds. Kaylee Sumpter added 8 points and Mia Blackmore filled the stat sheet with 6 points, 5 rebounds, 4 assists and a steal and a blocked shot.

Hailey Cheney scored a game high 27 points to lead the Wildcats.

Bonners Ferry — 6 12 9 22 49

Kellogg — 22 11 12 14 60

Bonners Ferry: Burt 2, Villaluz 2, Pluid 3, Blackmore 6, Abubakari 25, B. Bayer 0, Sumpter 8, A. Bayer 3.

Kellogg: Karst 1, Jerome 4, VanHoose 0, Coe 7, Schillereff 0, Nearing 9, H. Cheney 27, Reed 2, M. Cheney 4, Potts 6.