PLAYERS TO WATCH
Brianne Bailey, South Fremont
Lily Christensen, South Fremont
Hayden Larson, South Fremont
Kenzley Neville, South Fremont
Ashlyn Harris, Sugar-Salem
Nika Nead, Sugar-Salem
Abigail Barkdull, Teton
Grace Hogan, Teton
Morgan Johnson, Teton
Reese Kunz, Teton
Written by: Marlowe Hereford
A typical year in the always competitive 3A Mountain Rivers Conference usually ends with at least one team playing for hardware on championship Saturday at the 3A girls basketball state tournament, and last season was no different.
Teton beat Sugar-Salem, the 2022 state champion with its youngest lineup in years, 64-59 for the 3A state third-place trophy in February a year after both teams faced each other in the 3A state title game. The 3A state tournament certainly showcased east Idaho talent, as Sugar-Salem fell to eventual 3A state champion Snake River in the 3A state semifinals.
Teton returns Reese Kunz (senior), Grace Hogan (senior), Morgan Johnson (senior) and Abigail Barkdull (junior) from that 19-10 team and enters its second season under head coach Patrick Hogan. The Timberwolves also add junior Clara Nykamp, who coach Hogan described as 'one of the fastest girls in the state' and senior Melissa Bagley, who he expects to be Teton's leading rebounder.
"I am very excited because I think the girls realize they have a chance to be that special team," he said. "Everyone will play and everyone will contribute in their own way based on strengths and abilities. Stopping this team will be difficult to do with so many weapons offensively."
Hogan said the Timberwolves are looking for more balanced scoring and better defensive rebounding this season. Defensively, he said Teton will play man to man and also press.
"We will be very difficult to beat if we rebound," Hogan said. "I do not think anyone is as athletic as our group top to bottom and I believe if we can limit second chance opportunities, it will be hard for other teams to keep up with us offensively."
Hogan said no team should be overlooked in the conference. He said South Fremont junior Brianne Bailey has a great chance of being conference player of the year, and he anticipates a young but athletic Sugar-Salem team to be led by Nika Nead (junior). The defending district champion Diggers went 16-8 last year and graduated only two players, Meg Fillmore and conference player of the year Kennedy Gillette.
"Both Sugar-Salem and South Fremont have a chance to win the conference," Hogan said. "Sugar has that winning mentality. They will not go down without a fight. South led by (Brianne) Bailey could be really good as well."
South Fremont, which went 7-14 last season, is in its second season with head coach Brooke Bailey. The Cougars return Brianne Bailey, Kenzley Neville, Lily Christensen and Hayden Larson, all juniors.
Coach Bailey said the Cougars push the ball well offensively and play great pressure defense and aim to have fewer turnovers, hold opponents to fewer points this season and have new players step up. She also described the Cougars as young but they 'already play well together.'