ORDER GAME PHOTOS 

Across the girls basketball district tournament landscape Wednesday night, three noteworthy results stood out.


1. Grace became the first team to officially qualify for a district championship game.  The Grizzlies dispatched Butte County at the 1AD1 District 5-6 Tournament at Thunder Ridge High by a score of 64-26.  Grace will play for the district title (most likely against Butte County again) on Monday, February 6th.  Right after Grace clinched their championship spot, Filer did the same at the 3A District 4 Tournament at the College of Southern Idaho.


2. The most exciting game of the night, belonged to Mountain Home and Canyon Ridge in a classic 4 vs. 5 matchup in the opening round of the 4A District 4 Tournament.  

Tied at 44-44 with two minutes remaining, Mountain Home's Maddie Keener scored on a layup to give the Tigers a 46-44 lead. 

Canyon Ridge had a couple of chances to answer.  Lily Teske was fouled on a drive to the basket with just over a minute remaining, but could only make 1-of-2 free throws, leaving the deficit at 46-45.  Then, with 25 seconds to play, Shelby Geiger had a clean look at a three from the top of the key, but her shot missed and Mountain Home got the ball back.

Forced to foul, Canyon Ridge sent Keener to the line with 13 seconds remaining.  Keener sank both, padding the lead to 48-45. 

Canyon Ridge was whistled for a traveling violation with ten seconds to play on their next possession, but Keener missed the front end of a one-and-one at the other end, giving the Riverhawks one final chance.  Emma Gerstl put up a deep three from the left wing as time expired, but her shot fell short and the Tigers held on for the 48-45 win.

Mountain Home will now face top-seeded Minico in a semifinal on Friday, February 3rd.


3. And the Mackay Miners took a major step forward with a 75-64 semifinal win over Leadore at the 1AD2 District 5-6 Tournament.  Mackay, Leadore and Rockland have all been universally ranked in the top five of most metrics this season, but only two teams will get to move on to state.

Mackay held a slim 32-31 lead at halftime, and Leadore took the lead with 6:13 to play in the third on a pair of free throws by Lexi Bird.  That 35-34 advantage was the last time the Mustangs lead, and it lasted until the 4:45 mark of the period.

Megan Moore scored on the left block on back-to-back possessions, added a third bucket off of an offensive rebound and put-back on the right block, and hit a 12-foot jumper from the left baseline,   Rylee Teichert added a layup on the right side, Halle Holt sank a pair of free throws, Makelle Holt hit a reverse layup on the left side, Teichert completed an old-fashioned three-point play, and Moore scored on a post up just before the third quarter buzzer sounded.

Just like that, the Miners had outscored Leadore 19-7 to take a 53-43 lead into the fourth quarter.  Mackay was never seriously challenged again.

Moore scored 20 of her 26 points after halftime for the Miners, and Teichert added 16 points in the win.

Leadore's Mackenzie Mackay finished with 22 points, while Sadie Bird chipped in 19.


Here is our updated bracketology.  Again, nothing has changed, as the favorites continue to win out.  But somewhere, an upset is lurking.

As a reminder, you can follow all of the district tournament action here.  Teams will be seeded according to their MaxPreps rating.

CLASS 5A

District 1-2 1.5 bids
District 3 4 bids (potentially could be 6 with play-in wins)
District 5-6 1.5 bids

#1 Coeur d'Alene (19-2) vs. #8 Eagle (12-10)
#4 Rigby (18-4) vs. #5 Boise (18-2)
#3 Lake City (17-4) vs. #6 Owyhee (17-3)
#2 Thunder Ridge (22-0) vs. #7 Rocky Mountain (14-7)

CLASS 4A

District 1-2 1 bid
District 3 2 bids
District 4 2 bids
District 5 1 bid
District 6 2 bids

#1 Shelley (18-2) vs. #8 Twin Falls (10-11)
#4 Pocatello (13-6) vs. #5 Bishop Kelly (17-3)
#3 Sandpoint (14-5) vs. #6 Minico (14-7)
#2 Blackfoot (11-9) vs. #7 Columbia (11-9)

CLASS 3A

District 1 1 bid
District 3 2.5 bids
District 4 2 bids
District 5 1.25 bids
District 6 1.25 bids

#1 Snake River (18-3) vs. #8 Filer (14-9)
#4 Sugar-Salem (13-6) vs. #5 Weiser (18-3)
#3 Parma (18-3) vs. #6 Fruitland (14-6)
#2 Timberlake (17-2) vs. #7 Kimberly (14-8)

CLASS 2A

District 1-2 1.5 bids
District 3 2.5 bids
District 4 1 bid
District 5 1.5 bids
District 6 1.5 bids

#1 Melba (21-0) vs. #8 Declo (8-12)
#4 North Fremont (18-3) vs. #5 Ririe (16-6)
#3 Cole Valley Christian (17-4) vs. #6 Grangeville (13-8) 
#2 Soda Springs (17-4) vs. #7 Ambrose (14-8)

CLASS 1AD1

District 1 1 bid
District 2 2 bids
District 3 2.5 bids
District 4 2 bids
District 5-6 .5 bid

#1 Lapwai (21-1) vs. #8 Rimrock (12-5)
#4 Grace (17-4) vs. #5 Oakley (17-4)
#3 Raft River (19-2) vs. #6 Lakeside (11-6)
#2 Prairie (17-4) vs. #7 Liberty Charter (12-6)

CLASS 1AD2

District 1 1 bid
District 2 2 bids
District 3 2 bids
District 4 1 bid
District 5-6 2 bids

#1 Rockland (19-3) vs. #8 Mullan (8-6)
#4 Mackay (20-3) vs. #5 Dietrich (18-3)
#3 Deary (15-1) vs. #6 Council (11-5)
#2 Kendrick (14-4) vs. #7 Garden Valley (7-6)