Blackmore soars, Backwoods Brawl

KALISPELL — Badger girls basketball (11-9) came back stronger after half time, on Jan. 28 game and beat Stillwater Christian, 71-57.

Mia Blackmore scored 15 of her game-high 27 points in the fourth quarter. Also in the fourth, she made 11 of 13 from the free-throw line. Blackmore also added seven rebounds, five steals and two assists on the night.

“Mia was great tonight,” said Bonners Ferry head coach Travis Hinthorn. “It was almost as if she got a second senior night.”

Stillwater shot well in the first half and the Badgers did not, Hinthorn said. He said the team talked about how they were 4-11 from the free-throw line at halftime. The team took the talk to heart and went 18-21 from the free-throw line in the second half.

Asha Abubakari added 21 points for the Badgers.

BONNERS FERRY 22 11 12 26 — 71

STILLWATER 16 15 13 13 — 57

Bonners Ferry: Petesch 3, Kimball 2, Pluid 7, Blackmore 27, Abubakari 21, Baisden 0, B. Bayer 5, Sumpter 6.

Stillwater: Piewitt 6, SChwartz 4, M. Zemacke 9, Pond 5, Cruse 0, Linn 15, Anderson 6, B. Zemacke 6, Paolini 12, Lingle 0,

Backwoods Brawl: Tiger girls launch three-point assault

SPIRIT LAKE — You either live, or die by the three-point line. The Timberlake Tigers girls basketball team (17-2) proved just that at the Backwoods Brawl on Jan. 27, scoring 12 three-pointers against Bonners Ferry (10-9).

Jozee MacArthur scored 18 points and led the Tigers in their third quarter three-pointer assault against the Bonners Ferry girls basketball (10-9) on Jan. 27, winning the league match and spirit game, 65-36.

The Badgers gained a three-point advantage going into the second quarter. The team had many good looks at the hoop, but nothing fell for Bonners Ferry with shots rolling in and out of the basket.

Bonners Ferry coach Travis Hinthorn said the Backwoods Brawl was an awesome environment.

“We had a great first quarter leading 13-10 and then Timberlake warmed up from the outside,” he said.

The Tigers had a blow-out of a third quarter, scoring 23 points to the Badgers’ six. The Badgers weren’t able to recover in the fourth quarter even though they paced the Tigers in scoring.

“They shoot more threes than any team we face,” Hinthorn said. “They made more threes than two pointers.”

The Badgers face Timberlake for districts next week. Hinthorn said the Badgers need to use that time to focus on defending three-point shooting.

Asha Abubakari led the Badgers with 17 points and 17 rebounds. She attacked the hoop in the fourth quarter scoring eight points in back-to-back possessions.

Intermountain League Districts between Bonners Ferry and Spirit Lake are scheduled for Feb. 6, 8 and 9. The top seed hosts.

SPIRIT LAKE 10 19 23 — 65

BONNERS FERRY 13 5 6 12 — 36

Spirit Lake: C. Soumas 6, Dickinson 8, Young 12, Nelson 3, MacArthur 18, Simpson 0, S. Soumas0, Needs 3, Miller 12, Chase 3.

Bonners Ferry: Petesch 0, Kimball 0, Pluid 4, Blackmore 4, Abubakari 17, Baiseden 0, B. Bayer 6, Sumpter 5.