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Photo courtesy of GameFrame Photography
Welcome to Baney's Basketball Breakdown, a weekly reset that allows all of us to catch our breath and reflect on the past week of high school competition. There will be lots to digest below, so let's get to it!
OPENING TIP
Sometimes, I have an idea of what I'd like to say in this space an entire week ahead of time.
Sometimes, the topic doesn't come to me until I'm sitting down at my computer, ready to begin typing away.
And sometimes...the dreaded writer's block strikes.
This is one of those weeks. We've reached a part of the season where the good teams are really starting to flex their muscles. The games, for the most part, lack any sort of drama, as we make our slow trudge toward the finish line of the regular season.
Sure, there's an occasional thriller (like the one listed below), but for the most part, the chasm between the haves and the have-nots is fairly significant.
I've always wondered how coaches motivate their players, game after game after game, in the midst of a trying season. I suppose it's all about finding those small victories. Maybe the scoreboard remains lopsided, but your team finally executed that defensive concept you've been trying to install all season. The light bulb flickers on for a moment, providing optimism for the next game.
That's kind of how life goes too. We all get one day older every time the sun sets and rises, and if we don't stop to appreciate those small victories, sometimes our feeling of accomplishment is dampened. We can't all be the GOAT, right?
So in lieu of something profound to say here, I'll wrap up by basking in one small victory: with absolutely no idea of what direction this Opening Tip was going to take, somehow I found my way through once again.
GAME OF THE WEEK
Class 6A Coeur d'Alene (7-10) traveled to Class 5A Sandpoint (8-8) on Thursday, January 29. What transpired was a back-and-forth contest that ultimately took an extra period to decide. The Vikings trailed 68-67 with just 6.3 seconds to play in the fourth quarter, but senior standout Caden Symons was fouled and sank both free throws, pushing Coeur d'Alene ahead, 69-68. On Sandpoint's next possession, their senior standout Logan Roos was fouled in a similar situation, this time with just seven-tenths of a second to go. After missing his first free throw attempt, Roos calmly sank the second to send the game to overtime tied at 69-69. Fast forward to the final 15 seconds in OT: Roos again made one-of-two free throws to tie the contest up at 75-75. On Coeur d'Alene's possession, Davis Whittaker rebounded a missed shot and was fouled on the put-back attempt with just 1.5 seconds to play. Whittaker made the first, but missed the second. Fortunately for Coeur d'Alene, with just 1.5 seconds to play, Sandpoint ran out of time to even attempt a game-winning shot, preserving the 76-75 win for the Vikings. Symons finished with 36 points for the Coeur d'Alene, while Roose and Tyler Weisz each had 14 for Sandpoint.
UNDEFEATED WATCH
Each week in this space, we'll keep a running list of the teams that are still unbeaten in Idaho, with a look at the games that lie ahead on their schedule for the upcoming week:
4A: Sugar-Salem (18-0) - at Kimberly, at South Fremont
LIKE A GOOD NEIGHBOR
In this section, we'll keep track of how Idaho has performed against its competition from other states throughout the year.
Alaska (1-2)
Alberta, Canada (1-0)
Arizona (1-1)
California (6-10)
Colorado (4-1)
Georgia (0-1)
Hawaii (2-1)
Montana (5-5)
Nevada (18-3)
Oregon (26-2)
Texas (1-0)
Utah (7-13)
Washington (37-30)
Wyoming (14-8)
30-BURGER CLUB
Each week, we will highlight any player that breaks the 30-point mark in a single game (please send in 30-burger performers to brandon@idahosports.com).
*NOTE: Since we have retired our Girls Basketball Breakdown in lieu of Bracketology, I will continue to include the girls' 30-burger performers here as well.
GIRLS
Chloe Grieser, 12, Genesee (36 points vs. Highland on Thursday, January 29)
Peyton Lenz, 12, North Fremont (36 points vs. Challis on Friday, January 23)
Rylee Walters, 12, Salmon River (33 points vs. Horseshoe Bend on Friday, January 30)
Brookeslee Colvin, 11, Coeur d'Alene (32 points vs. Lakeland on Tuesday, January 27)
Macy Murphey, 11, Timberlake (31 points vs. Kellogg on Tuesday, January 27)
BOYS
Jonathan Swainston, 12, Wendell (37 points vs. Malad on Thursday, January 29)
Caden Symons, 12, Coeur d'Alene (36 points vs. Sandpoint on Thursday, January 29)
Ian Lamanna, 12, Priest River (34 points vs. Newport, WA on Friday, January 30)
Owen Howard, 12, Clark Fork (33 points vs. Kootenai on Thursday, January 29)
Quinn Palan, 11, Camas County (32 points vs. Castleford on Tuesday, January 27)
Woodrow Lowder, 12, Rockland (31 points vs. Taylor's Crossing on Tuesday, January 27)
Korban Nelson, 12, Watersprings (31 points vs. North Gem on Tuesday, January 27)
Fin Wilkins, 11, Cascade (31 points vs. Salmon River on Saturday, January 31)
Fin Wilkins, 11, Cascade (30 points vs. Horseshoe Bend on Wednesday, January 28)
TOURNEY TIME!
Now that regular season tournament time has concluded (for the most part), the Tourney Time section will morph into what I believe the upcoming state tournaments could look like. Each week, I'll forecast which eight teams I believe will represent each classification at state.
CLASS 6A
Centennial (15-2)
Highland (15-3)
Kuna (14-4)
Meridian (12-6)
Lake City (11-7)
Owyhee (13-6)
Thunder Ridge (13-4)
Timberline (11-7)
CLASS 5A
Bishop Kelly (10-5)
Blackfoot (14-3)
Columbia (11-4)
Hillcrest (8-9)
Lewiston (15-2)
Preston (16-3)
Twin Falls (11-6)
Vallivue (11-4)
CLASS 4A
American Falls (13-3)
Bonners Ferry (7-7)
Cole Valley Christian (13-4)
Filer (8-11)
Gooding (10-6)
Homedale (9-7)
Snake River (9-8)
Sugar-Salem (18-0)
CLASS 3A
Ambrose (11-6)
New Plymouth (12-5)
Orofino (12-2)
Ririe (10-7)
Soda Springs (11-5)
St. Maries (10-3)
Wendell (15-1)
West Jefferson (14-3)
CLASS 2A
Butte County (11-5)
Kendrick (15-2)
Lakeside (14-2)
Murtaugh (12-3)
North Star Charter (12-3)
Prairie (11-4)
Raft River (9-7)
Rimrock (15-1)
CLASS 1A
Camas County (6-8)
Carey (12-6)
Coeur du Christ (11-4)
Garden Valley (15-2)
Nezperce (11-6)
Rockland (16-2)
Timberline (7-3)
Watersprings (16-2)
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