Team Preview:
Written by: Will Hoenike
Looking for a key to the season for the Idaho City boys basketball team? Fifth-year head coach Jayce Bell may opt for “consistency,” or some variation/synonym of it.
The Wildcats are coming off of a season where they finished 5-13, knocked out of the district tournament by Rimrock. And, if you want to encapsulate Idaho City’s season, you can start right there. The team struggled to score the ball, falling to the Raiders, 32-27, on its home floor. Just four days earlier, in the same gym, the Wildcats had disposed of Rimrock by 30 in the regular-season finale, 62-32.
Bell lost honorable mention All-Western Idaho Conference big man Aaron Carignan to graduation but does return Jason Carignan up front. The younger Carignan will be asked to take on a larger load this season with the elder Carignan gone.
At times, Idaho City showed it could really shoot the basketball, topping 55 points five times. At times, Idaho City showed it could really defend the basketball, holding five opponents to 40 points or less. It just didn’t happen often enough.
The Wildcats also lost five games by nine points or less.
Turn around any one of those three numbers and the season likely turns out different than it did for the Wildcats.
The team is scheduled to participate in two, non-conference tournaments in December. First, the Wildcats will head to Wilder High School on December 16-17 and then the team will move northwest, to Fruitland, on December 27-28 for a couple of more good tests before moving back into WIC play on January 3 against Compass Honors.
The WIC will provide tough tests for all teams. Defending 1A Division I state champion Ambrose looks to have a solid team once again, as does state-qualifier Liberty Charter and Riverstone International School, who was one game away from qualifying for the state tournament as well. Wilder returns a good collection of athletes as well.
With a good base of young athletes on the way in Idaho City, better days are ahead. If Bell’s squad can smooth out the peaks-and-valleys of last season, it should be competitive in the Western Idaho Conference.
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