Bonners battles past Timberlake in first round at districts

SPIRIT LAKE — The Timberlake Tigers were runners-up at last year’s state 3A girls basketball tournament.

But the top-seeded and host Tigers are one loss away from seeing their season end, after being upset by the second-seeded Bonners Ferry Badgers 55-53 in Game 1 of a best-of-3 series for the 3A District 1 title on Monday.

An inside basket by senior Markynn Pluid of Bonners Ferry (10-7) broke a 53-all tie. Timberlake (14-5) then turned the ball over with a chance to tie.

“They played great; really balanced scoring,” Timberlake coach Matt Miller said of Bonners Ferry, which had four players in double figures. “The biggest thing was the amount of effort in rebounding, and they gave a lot of effort in rebounding, especially in the fourth quarter. They just seemed hungrier than us; we gave up a lot of easy shots.”

Pluid led the Badgers with 15 points. Brooke Petesch, Rylie Kimball and Taren Bateman each scored 10 for Bonners.

Junior Diana Nelson scored a game-high 21 points for Timberlake, which was 7 of 16 from the free-throw line.

“Diana had probably the best game she’s ever had,” Miller said. “She rebounded well most of the game, but it takes a few more.”

Timberlake won both meetings in Intermountain League play, though the Badgers led much of the way in the Backwoods Brawl spirit game at Bonners Ferry.

Bonners Ferry can qualify for state by winning Game 2, scheduled for Wednesday at 6 p.m. at Timberlake. If Timberlake wins, the deciding game would be Thursday at 6 at Timberlake.

Bonners Ferry     16    10    12    17    —    55

Timberlake    12    18    11    12    —    53

BONNERS FERRY — Petesch 10, Kimball 10, Baisden 5, Pluid 15, Bateman 10, Abubakari 3, Hiatt 2.

TIMBERLAKE — Soumas 7, Dickinson 3, Young 3, Nelson 21, MacArthur 6, Simpson 8, Needs 4, McKellips 1.