2013 IDAHOSPORTS.COM BOYS STATE BASKETBALL AWARDS
By Gary Jones and Glenn Jones
Before I list the awards, let me explain something that comes up in the comments from time to time. Glenn and I sit at the Idaho Center for the entire state tourney. On Thursday and Friday, we watch the 5A teams, and then on Super Saturday we watch the six state title games. These awards are only based on the teams we see at the Idaho Center. There may be an awesome pep club, for instance, that did a great job but never made it to the Idaho Center. Since we never saw them, they could not be listed on this awards page. Some people don’t like the fact some teams or players are excluded, but our purpose for doing these awards is to give some teams and players some recognition and we can only recognize the teams and players we see. So, with that said, here goes……
5A State Champs: Post Falls Trojans (24-1) 46-44 (ot)
Playing for the fourth time this year, it took an overtime period to decide the winner. Post Falls and Coach Marc Allert now have a title in the 5A division that goes with their other titles as they marched up the divisions. They won their first in 1983 under Coach Ron Worley. Chris Johnson coached them to two consecutive titles in the 4A ranks in 2002 and 2003. If Coeur d’Alene had won, they would have broken a three-way logjam for the schools with the most titles. They still have eight, along with Prairie and Grangeville.
Runner-up Coeur d’Alene Vikings
3rd Place Highland Rams
Consolation Rocky Mtn Grizzlies
Sportsmanship Capital Eagles
Academic Boise Braves 3.804 GPA
4A State Champs: Bishop Kelly Knights (20-6) 50-40
When Sports Illustrated did a column on the best schools in each state a couple of years ago, BK was the school they picked for Idaho. With all the titles they have won in many different sports, it’s hard to believe they had never won in Girls’ Basketball. They have now under Coach Derek McCormick. Even though they lost to Middleton three times, Twin Falls unexpectedly bumped them out of the tourney in the first round, and that was all the help BK needed to start it’s run at the title.
Runner-up Century Diamondbacks
3rd Place Pocatelo Indians
Consolation Middleton Vikings
Sportsmanship Nampa Bulldogs
Academic Pocatello Indians 3.821 GPA
3A State Champs: Snake River Panthers (23-2) 51-34
Snake River has won many state football and boys basketball titles, but it took Rich Dunn and his players to bring home their first Girls’ Basketball Championship in 2013. They only had 2 seniors, so look for the Panthers to be a strong team again next year. They were one of the teams ranked #1 going into the tournament that proved the media right by winning it all. Post Falls and Dietrich also pulled it off, giving the media a .500 batting average with three correct out of six divisions.
Runner-up Filer Wildcats
3rd Place Parma Panthers
Consolation Bonners Ferry Badgers
Sportsmanship Parma Panthers
Academic Fruitland Grizzlies 3.823 GPA
2A State Champs: North Fremont Huskies (19-10) 45-40
If one looked at the media polls before the tourney, they probably wouldn’t have picked North Fremont to win it all. They weren’t even in the top five, but they put together three great games to win their first championship ever in Girls’ basketball under Coach Ben Lenz. They beat a very talented team in the finals in Soda Springs. They only had 2 seniors, so look for the Huskies to be a strong team again next year.
Runner-up Soda Springs Cardinals
3rd Place Ririe Bulldogs
Consolation Melba Muustangs
Sportsmanship Valley Vikings
Academic Firth Cougars 3.808 GPA
1A Div 1 State Champs: Kamiah Kubs (21-3) 60-29
The Kamiah Kubs were looking for their first state title in basketball period- both the boys and girls had never won it before. There were many good teams in this tough 2A bracket, and by beating the Pilgrims, Mustangs, and the Cardinals, they showed this wasn’t any fluke. Remember, they lost this title game as a 2A school last year, so they made sure that didn’t happen again. Coach Tina Ulmer wins her first title.
Runner-up Lapwai Wildcats
3rd Place Prairie Pirates
Consolation Butte County Pirates
Sportsmanship Prairie Pirates
Academic Genesee Bulldogs 3.853 GPA
1A Div 2 State Champs: Dietrich Blue Devils (26-1) 52-28
The Blue Devils reached rarified air when they won their 3rd straight title. Highland Madison, Middleton, and Moscow have pulled it off, and only Meridian has won 4 straight. Dietrich now has a chance to tie an all-time record next year. The Blue Devils won their first title in 1999 under Coach Gene Shaw. Now Acey Shaw, their inspirational Coach, has won his third. They will lose some seniors, but they have some good, young talent coming back next year that will try and win 4 in a row.
Runner-up Kendrick Tigers
3rd Place Mackay Miners
Consolation Carey Panthers
Sportsmanship Kendrick Tigers
Academic Nezperce Indians 3.860 GPA
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