Boys hoops off to state, District and League Champs
Bonners Ferry boys basketball advances to the state tournament after winning the 3A Intermountain League Districts against Timberlake on Thursday in a best-out-of-three contest. Badgers pictured with district and league championship trophies.
Photo by EMILY BONSANT
Bonners Ferry 79
Timberlake 47
BONNERS FERRY — Junior guard Asher Williams scored 20 of his game-high 32 points in the first half for the top-seeded Bonners Ferry Badgers in a win over second-seeded Timberlake to sweep the best-of-3 game 3A District 1 championship series at Bonners Ferry High.
The Badgers clinched a berth to the state 3A tournament starting next Thursday at Meridian High.
Bonners Ferry (19-3), runner-up at state last year, is ranked second in the latest MaxPreps.com rankings, which are used to seed the tournament. Matchups won’t be announced until this weekend.
Junior Thomas Bateman scored 14 points for Bonners Ferry, which won its third straight district title, and will be making its fourth straight trip to state.
"Mike LaFountaine (Timberlake coach) does a great job with his team and Timberlake jumped on us early, hitting some big shots and forcing turnovers," Bonners Ferry coach Nathan Williams said. "I was impressed with our defensive effort in the second half, and how we made the extra pass all night long versus their zone."
Junior Tyler Engelson scored 16 points for Timberlake, which finished 6-16.
Timberlake 19 11 11 6 — 47
Bonners Ferry 19 25 20 15 — 79
TIMBERLAKE — Engleson 16, Dykeman 0, Yetter 11, Vallieres 5, Meidinger 4, McDougall 1, Dorman 2, Higgins 7, Simpson 1.
BONNERS FERRY — Blackmore 7, Rice 4, Smith 5, Hinthorn 2, Williams 32, Th. Bateman 14, Cartwright 0, Tr. Bateman 5, Abubakari 5.