Players to Watch:
Scotty Hocking, Lakeland
Nick Nowell, Lakeland
Ben Ryan, Lakeland
Grant Abendroth, Moscow
Ian Hillman, Moscow
Dylan Rehder, Moscow
Paker Childs, Sandpoint
Randy Lane, Sandpoint
Rusty Lee, Sandpoint
Written by: Will Hoenike
In a certain context, the 4A Inland Empire League’s slate is clean in 2022-23.
Sure, the three teams (Lakeland, Moscow, and Sandpoint) are the same. The coaches return. The gyms are unchanged. But the IEL’s Player of the Year, Jamari Simpson, is gone. And five of the league’s six All-League honorees are gone.
The race to be the team to represent the league at the 4A state tournament in March is about as open as it can be.
In Moscow, the mantra is simple. The Bears are replacing a whole lot of talent from a team that won 16 games and represented the district at the 4A state tournament last winter.
“It’s a new environment,” said Moscow head coach Josh Uhrig. “We graduated five starters and our sixth man. We’ll be running different offenses and defenses.”
The team doesn’t lack options, led by a trio of seniors: guard Dylan Rehder, post Zach Skinner, and post Caleb Skinner. A new player who Uhrig thinks could be a key piece for Moscow this season is sophomore guard Grant Abendroth, especially for his ability to rebound and play strong defense, two skills that will be crucial to Moscow’s success this season.
“We’re not a great shooting team,” Uhrig said. “Getting opportunities at the basket will be key for us.”
The Sandpoint Bulldogs may have only won six basketball games last season but the program hopes to have begun to turn the tide going into 2022-23. The team picked up a marquee win in early February last season, edging Post Falls to pick up its first league win since 2016 and also its first win over the 5A Trojans in over a decade. Head coach Bryan Childs will look to build on that this season, which will include a four-game trip to Hawai’i in late December.
Sandpoint will lean on Rusty Lee, the only member of the 4A All-IEL team from last season to return this season, along with Parker Childs to spearhead the attack.
The Lakeland Hawks may return the most known quantities, so to speak, led by senior guard Scotty Hocking. He’ll once again lead the team from the point, getting the team into its offense and helping to establish its defense, as the Hawks look to improve upon their eight wins of last season.
“The chemistry on this team is outstanding so far. They love to compete and don’t mind being the underdogs,” said Lakeland head coach Tony Hanna. “This program has lost quite a few skilled players over the past couple of seasons. This group has been waiting in the wings for their opportunity and is excited to get going.”
Hocking will be joined by athletic senior Nick Nowell. Junior Ben Ryan will be asked to help hold down the interior for Lakeland as the team awaits the return of senior Caysen Loutzenhiser, who is recovering from an injury but should return to the lineup in time for the stretch run.
“Defense will be the key to the team’s success this season,” Hanna continued. “This is a hard-working team that will put pressure on the opponents.”
The 4A Inland Empire League shares league play, so to speak, with the 5A Inland Empire League for scheduling purposes. The 5A IEL appears to be deep and talented which will pose challenges for the 4A squads. Moscow and Lakeland, for instance, will each play four consecutive 5A foes immediately before the 4A district tournament. What impact, if any, will that have on the team that emerges to advance to the state tournament?