PREP BASKETBALL: IML opens at Backwoods Brawl, Bonners goes 1-1

Girls

BONNERS FERRY — The Badgers led Intermountain League foe Timberlake until just over 2 minutes were left in the game when the Tigers went on a 10-point run to win the 66-61 in the Backwoods Brawl spirit game Saturday.

The Badgers haven’t beaten Timberlake since the 2012-13 season, 51-36. 

Bonners Ferry freshman Taren Bateman led the contest with 26 points.

Paula Petesch has stepped in as head coach for Bonners Ferry, as Mike Cowley has resigned due to his health. 

“We just need five people playing on the same page,” she said.

Petesch said individual players were doing great things, but teamwork was lacking. Being on the same page will be huge.

The Badgers were strong rebounding until the fourth quarter when Timberlake was getting second and even third chances offensively.

“We had foul trouble, and how do you work around that,” she said. “We had the momentum in the first half and then just went bucket for bucket and couldn’t stay ahead.”

“I really really liked our grit,” said Timberlake coach Matt Miller. “I felt like not much went our way, but we kept fighting and fighting, and found a way to gut out a win.”

Bonners Ferry (8-5, 0-1 IML) kept a 61-56 lead on Bateman’s backdoor cut and layup with 3 minutes left. 

Kursten McKellips answered for Timberlake (12-3, 1-0) with what Miller said was the Tigers’ biggest basket of the game, a 3-pointer. MacArthur then spun in the lane for a basket, drew the foul and hit the free throw to put Timberlake ahead to stay.

Diana Nelson, who scored 12 of her 13 points in the second half, scored inside for the Tigers, and Marissa Needs capped the scoring with two free throws with 39 seconds left.

“They showed a lot of resilience,” Miller said. “A lot of teams that would have struggled for that long would have given up and folded. (Jozee) played really tough; she embodied that grit the whole team had. She led that toughness charge of keep working, keep trying.”

Bateman led all scorers with 26 points. Asha Abubakari added 12 for the Badgers.

McKellips finished with 11 points and Needs had 10 for the Tigers.

Timberlake plays host to Bonners Ferry on Wednesday to conclude league play between the only two basketball-playing schools in the IML.

Timberlake    16    12    17    21    —    66

Bonners Ferry    19    16    16    10    —    61

TIMBERLAKE — Soumas 1, Young 5, Nelson 13, McArthur 22, Simpson 4, Sjolund 0, Needs 10, McKellips 11.

BONNERS FERRY — Petesch 0, Kimball 9, Baisden 4, Pluid 10, Bateman 26, Mierke 0, Abubakari 12.

Boys Basketball 

Asher Williams scored 25 of his game-high 30 points in the first half, and the Bonners Ferry Badgers went on to an 84-45 victory over the Timberlake Tigers in the Backwoods Brawl spirit game on Saturday.

The game also served as the Intermountain League opener between the only two basketball-playing schools in the IML.

Bonners Ferry held Timberlake to four points in the second quarter, and went on to score 28 points, leading 52-21 at half. 

Bonners Ferry head coach Nathan Williams said when it came to defensive and rebounding the Badgers were lacking intensity. 

“Our defense and rebounding was inconsistent. I did not like that. I felt like Tigers had lay-in opportunities, but didn’t make them,” he said. 

In the third quarter, the Badgers did not follow up on the second-quarter intensity, and the Tigers clawed their way back up the scoreboard. 

“My biggest frustration of the whole game was the first three minutes of the third quarter. We did not come out on fire,” he said. “We came out, turned the ball over, gave up a lay up and two offensive boards in the first two or three minutes.”

Williams then called a time-out. 

“That is discipline, that is heart and effort,” he said. “To win state we can’t take possession off, I don’t care what the score is.” 

If Timberlake had a better shooting game on Saturday the game could have changed quickly.

Williams said statistically this season the third quarter has been the weakest for the Badgers. Against West Valley, they were up 16 at halftime, but then the Eagles won by one. 

“When coming out [from halftime] we gotta execute, take care of the ball and play defense,” he said. 

Thomas Bateman added 16 points for Bonners Ferry (12-3), ranked second in 3A in the state media poll. Trey Bateman had 12 points.

Tyler Engelson scored 14 points for Timberlake (4-11), and Jacob Yetter added 12.

The Badgers were scheduled to play Lincoln County (7-2, 3-0) on Tuesday for the Battle of the Border, but the game has been rescheduled for Monday, Jan. 29. 

The Badgers will play Stillwater Christian (8-6, 4-0) in Kalispell at 6 p.m.

Timberlake    17    4    17    7    —    45

Bonners Ferry    24    28    21    11    —    84

TIMBERLAKE — Engelson 14, Dykeman 4, Yetter 12, Vallieres 4, DeVore 0, Meidinger 6, McDougall 0, Dorman 5, Higgins 0.

BONNERS FERRY — Jiminez 0, Blackmore 8, Rice 3, Smith 3, Hinthorn 5, Williams 30, Th. Bateman 16, Tr. Bateman 12, Abubakari 7.

    Asher Williams shoots a jumper against Timberlake at the Backwoods Brawl on Jan. 20. For the fourth game in a row, Williams scored 30 points.
  

    Sulay Abubakari scores a layin for the Badgers at the Backwoods Brawl.