PREP BASKETBALL: Bonners Ferry boys remain undefeated; girls win two of last three

BOYS 

- Thursday, Dec. 5 

Bonners Ferry 76, East Valley 39 

BONNERS FERRY — The Badgers took care of business with a blowout win against the Knights, who were without three of their five starters.

Bonners Ferry set the tone with a 13-0 start in the first five minutes of the game, fueled by two early dunks from senior guard Asher Williams. The Badgers had a scalding shooting performance to the tune of 54 points though two quarters and a 30-point halftime lead. 

Senior forward Thomas Bateman responded well from an uncharacteristic two-point outing in the season opener against Sandpoint with 12 points in the first half.

Quarter-by-quarter scoring not available.

PTS: BF — Williams 33, Bateman 13, Hinthorn 12, Abubakari 9, Rice 5, Cartwright 4.

REB: BF — Bateman 9, Abubakari 8, Williams 8, Hinthorn 6, Rice 5, Cartwright 2, Schrock 1.

AST: BF — Rice 6, Abubakari 3, Schrock 2, Hinthorn 2, Cartwright 1, Bateman 1, Williams 1.

STL: BF — Rice 3, Williams 3, Abubakari 2, Schrock 1, Cartwright 1.

BLK: BF — Bateman 2, Hinthorn 1.

- Saturday, Dec. 7 

Bonners Ferry 81, Stillwater Christian 47 

BONNERS FERRY — The Badgers downed the visiting Cougars with an incredible shooting performance, going 27-for-35 (77%) from the field with 73 points through three quarters.  

Thomas Bateman recorded the Badgers’ first double-double of the season, with four of his 11 rebounds coming on the offensive glass. Sophomore Peyton Hinthorn had a clean slate, shooting 5-for-5 from the field, 2-for-2 from deep, and 4-for-4 from the free throw line. The trio of Bateman, Hinthorn and Asher Williams combined for 55 points on 17-for-20 shooting from the field. 

Coach Williams said he does not show his emotion very often during the games, but with the precise execution of the team’s transition offense — floor spacing, ball movement and shot making — he couldn’t help but get fired up.  

But on the other side of the floor, he said the team has a lot of cleaning up to do defensively before it takes on an upcoming stretch of games against good opponents. The defensive breakdowns did not show up in the stat sheet, though, because the Cougars weren’t hitting open shots.  

“We let them get in the paint and score too much for my liking,” he said. “We are going to face some state opponents, and all these teams we’re playing soon have guards that can turn the corner and kick to create wide open threes like Stillwater did all night. We have got to stop them.”  

Stillwater Christian 9 13 15 10 — 47

Bonners Ferry 24 21 29 7 — 81

PTS: BF — Williams 23, Bateman 16, Hinthorn 16, Abubakari 12, Schrock 8, Rice 4, Cartwright 2.

REB: BF — Bateman 11, Rice 5, Williams 4, Hinthorn 4, Abubakari 4, Schrock 4, Cartwright 1.

AST: BF — Rice 6, Bateman 5, Williams 3, Hinthorn 2, Schrock 2, Cartwright 1.

STL: BF — Williams 4, Cartwright 2, Hinthorn 1, Rice 1.

BLK: BF — Bateman 4, Cartwright 1, Hinthorn 1.

- Tuesday, Dec. 10 

Bonners Ferry 60, St. Maries 33  

The Badgers continued their streak of dominant opening quarters with a 22-9 start in their road victory over the host Lumberjacks.

Coach Williams thought the team did a better job on the defensive end containing St. Maries’ guards, crediting junior center Sulay Abubakari for taking a charge and blocking shots. St. Maries’ best offensive player JJ Yearout was held scoreless in the first quarter.  

Asher Williams led the way for the Badgers offensively with 23 points while Thomas Bateman added 15 for Bonners Ferry (4-0), which travels to Moscow tonight for a matchup with Logos at the University of Idaho.

Bonners Ferry 22 12 19 7 — 60

St. Maries 9 8 10 8 — 33

PTS: BF — Williams 23, Bateman 15, Rice 8, Hinthorn 7, Abubakari 7. SM — Barta 11, Yearout 9, Gustaffe 6, Sexton 4, L. Riberick 2, T. Riberick 1.

GIRLS 

- Thursday, Dec. 5 

Bonners Ferry 53, East Valley 30 

BONNERS FERRY — The Lady Badgers put on a defensive exhibition in their home-opening win over the visiting Lady Knights.

Led by sophomore Taren Bateman’s 16 points and nine steals, as well as sophomore Nolie Hiatt’s 10 points and seven steals, the Lady Badgers built a commanding 35-6 halftime lead, driven by aggressive and physical defense. The Lady Badgers finished with a season-high 28 steals.  

“We have been really focusing on our pressure defense, and having that fuel our offense,” Bonners Ferry High head coach Sarah Hummel said postgame.  

After the Lady Badgers started the season with two road losses, Hummel said her players opened up about wanting to work harder in practice. That hard work was on full display with speed and quickness to create turnovers and easy points in transition.

East Valley 4 2 14 10 — 30

Bonners Ferry 14 21 14 4 — 53

PTS: BF — Bateman 16, Hiatt 10, Hinthorn 8, Baisden 7, Willis 6, Thomson 4, Petesch 2.

REB: BF — Bateman 5, Hiatt 5, Willis 4, Thomson 3, Mierke 2, Petesch 2, Baisden 1, Hinthorn 1, Johnson 1.

AST: BF — Bateman 3, Baisden 3, Mierke 1, Hinthorn 1.

STL: BF — Bateman 9, Hiatt 7, Mierke 4, Hinthorn 4, Baisden 2, Petesch 1, Thomson 1.

BLK: BF — Bateman 3, Willis 1, Thomson 1.

- Friday, Dec. 6 

Moscow 55, Bonners Ferry 38  

BONNERS FERRY — Foul trouble plagued the Lady Badgers in a loss to the visiting Lady Bears.

Moscow closed the first half strong with a flurry of late shot clock 3-pointers to end the second quarter up 8 points. 

“We actually went into the half feeling positive about where we were at,” coach Hummel said.  

But within the first four minutes of the second half, the Lady Bears were in the double bonus. Taren Bateman, who finished the contest with a team-high 17 points, fouled out in the midway through the fourth.

“I think what deflated us was when Taren got that fourth foul, and then we just got slap happy,” coach Hummel said.  

Moscow 16 12 19 8 — 55

Bonners Ferry 11 10 9 8 — 38

PTS: BF — Bateman 17, Baisden 9, Hinthorn 4, Hiatt 4, Willis 3, Petesch 1.

REB: BF — Hinthorn 7, Petesch 4, Hiatt 4, Mierke 2, Willis 2, Baisden 2, Bateman 1.

AST: BF — Petesch 1.

STL: BF — Hinthorn 6, Bateman 4, Hiatt 3, Baisden 3, Mierke 2, Petesch 2, Willis 2,

BLK: BF — Willis 1.

- Saturday, Dec. 7 

Bonners Ferry 64, Stillwater Christian 33  

BONNERS FERRY — The Lady Badgers bounced back on the final night of their triple-header weekend with a dominant win over the visiting Cougars. 

Hummel opted not to go with the Badgers’ usual starting lineup. She said the team was not meeting expectations, and the shakeup created adversity in a game she anticipated winning.   

The first half finished 28-19 in favor of the Lady Badgers. Bonners Ferry improved in the second half, finishing 36-14.

“The girls came out in the second half and said, ‘Hey, let’s go,’” Hummel said.  

Senior Sydney Hinthorn added 10 points for Bonners Ferry (4-3), which will look to build on their successful homestand with a road game at Lakeland tonight.

Stillwater Christian 12 7 9 5 — 33

Bonners Ferry 15 13 20 16 — 64

PTS: BF — Bateman 23, Hinthorn 10, Baisden 8, Willis 7, Thomson 4, Johnson 4, Petesch 4, Mierke 2, Hiatt 2.

REB: BF — Bateman 8, Willis 6, Hinthorn 6, Mierke 4, Thomson 3, Johnson 3, Hiatt 2, Baisden 1, Petesch 1.

AST: BF — Hinthorn 3, Petesch 3, Baisden 2, Bateman 2, Mierke 2, Johnson 2, Hiatt 2, Thomson 1.

STL: BF — Bateman 4, Mierke 4, Hinthorn 3, Baisden 3, Hiatt 3, Willis 2.

BLK: BF — Petesch 1.

    Bonners Ferry High sophomore Eva Willis looks for open teammate while guarded closely by a Moscow defender on the baseline.