Girls Hoops Season Review: All league, Bateman MVP

BONNERS FERRY — It was a season of ups and downs, of victories, defeats and breaking personal and program records for the Bonners Ferry girls basketball team. 

The Badgers beat Timberlake for the first time in nine years and had a nine-game winning streak which started Dec. 6 with Rogers Pirates and ended Jan. 10 when the team lost to 4A Sandpoint. 

Timberlake won the league title, defeating Bonners Ferry 2-0. In the first matchup on Jan. 20 at the Backwoods Brawl, the Badgers led until 2 minutes left in the game, when the Tigers went on a 10-point run to win 66-61. 

Four days later, Timberlake won league, defeating Bonners 51-37. 

The tune changed at the 3A Intermountain League District Game 1 when the Badgers won 55-53. 

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.

The Timberlake Tigers were runners-up at 2022-23 state 3A girls basketball tournament and touted a 24-game win streak against the Badgers, whose last win was Feb. 3, 2015. 

Game 2 equally a tight game and tied 25 all at halftime. The Tigers outscored the Badgers by three points in the third quarter. Timberlake held a slim lead in the fourth quarter, before Brooke Petesch sank a 3-pointer to pull the Badgers within 44-43 with some 2 minutes left.

Although the Badgers matched basket for basket against the Tigers, Timberlake kept the three-point lead and won 46-43, forcing Game 3, as tie breaker. 

In Game 3, Timberlake held Bonners Ferry to 17% shooting (9 of 52) from the field, and steamrolled the Badgers 64-25 in the deciding game of the 3A District 1 girls basketball tournament.

“In my opinion, we finally played like us,” Timberlake coach Matt Miller said. “I think it’s been at least six games since we kinda looked like us. We just kinda lost our mojo, lost our identity, and everything was just hard. We really struggled on the defensive end the last six games or so. We have a lack of focus and discipline is what we think it is as a coaching staff, and tonight we had it.”

“We had some sicknesses, and they were just exhausted," said Bonners Ferry coach Paula Petesch, who served as the junior varsity coach until taking over as head coach less than three weeks ago when Mike Cowley resigned due to health reasons. “We just couldn’t execute, and Timberlake did an amazing job of adjusting, and picking at our defense.”

Badgers, Asha Abubakari and Markynn Pluid were named IML All-League, with freshman Taren Bateman receiving MVP honors. 

Senior post, Asha Abubakari surpassed the 1,000-point milestone, against Stillwater Christian in the third game of the season. The last Badger girl to hit this milestone was Holly Ansley in 2021. 

“Asha definitely bought into the mindset of working hard on defense,” Petesch said. “Her rebounding and putting up second shots were her strengths this season. She will be hard to replace next year.”

Senior post, Markynn Pluid nabbed over 15 rebounds in the district tournament and is a steady and consistent force for the Badgers.

“Markynn is one of those players who can both shoot outside and inside at the post,” Petesch said. “Many times, I was in awe at how she was able to read the defense in the paint and get around, through, or over people.”

Breakthrough freshman point guard Taren Bateman was named MVP. Bateman scored a season high of 40 points against Lincoln County on Jan. 23. She leads the Badgers in points scored per game, free throw %, assists and steals. 

“Taren has a high level of basketball knowledge and led all of our stat categories this season,” Petesch said. “Being named the IML MVP is well-deserved. I'm excited to see what the future holds for her.” 

Timberlake players receiving All League honors include: Jozee MacArthur, Diana Nelson and Kurtsten McKellips. 

Petesch said looking to the off season she hopes returning players will get touches on the ball over the summer, attend camps and play in summer league. 

Seven Badgers with varsity experience are expected to return next season.

Abubakari and Pluid will be graduating, and have been the top rebounders and consistent scores for the Badgers for four years. 

Timberlake will also be graduating two players.