Patriots top CdA

NAMPA, Idaho – Coaching state championship teams doesn’t get old for Centennial coach Emery Roy, the winningest girls basketball coach in Idaho history.

His Patriots captured their fifth overall and second in three years – and Roy’s ninth overall – as hot-shooting Centennial knocked off the young kids on the block, the Coeur d’Alene Vikings, 58-45 in the State 5A tournament final Saturday before an estimated crowd of 3,000 at the Idaho Center.

Centennial (23-3) started off hot and finished warm, and the Patriots didn’t drop off much in between.

“Winning never gets old,” said Roy, whose career record is 595-144, which includes his 19 years at Centennial and his years at Meridian that date back to the 1970s. “The first two games (at state) we were up pretty tight, but after you go through a couple of games, they loosened up and they came out shooting the ball real well.”

In a typically ugly morning consolation trophy game at Nampa High, Boise outlasted Lake City 51-42 for fourth place.

Centennial 58, Coeur d’Alene 45: The Patriots hit six of their first eight shots, including 2 of 3 3-pointers, to open a 14-4 lead at the 3:32 mark.

CdA (19-6) didn’t appear rattled, though. The Vikings clawed their way back, pulling within 25-21 by halftime.

The Vikings started the third quarter like the Patriots started the game, hitting three of their first four shots – all 3-pointers – to take their only lead at 30-29 with 5:10 to go in the third quarter.

“They came back on us,” Roy said. “It’s not so much that we let up. They started hitting some shots and got back in it, but we answered. We answered the run and kind of broke them down.”

Still, it took Centennial a while to finally subdue the Vikings, who trailed 41-37 going into the fourth quarter. An inside basket by Blake Reynolds extended the Patriots’ lead to 52-45 with 2:11 to go, and CdA was forced to foul thereafter.

CdA went scoreless during the final 2:59. The Patriots, meanwhile, made 6 of 10 foul shots the final 1:22 to make the final score look more lopsided than it should have been.

Roy, whose team pulled out a 43-40 win over the Vikings early in the season at CdA, was impressed with the challengers.

“They’re amazing,” Roy said. “When you look out there and they have like three freshmen and a couple of sophomores – and with the poise they play (with), it’s amazing. They’re heads-up ballplayers for their age.”

The Patriots shot 55 percent from the field (22 of 40) and made 5 of 8 3-pointers (62.5 percent).

CdA junior guard Lindsay Stark said it’s the best an opponent has shot this season.

“I wasn’t expecting them to shoot that well,” Stark said. “They played a great game. They had the adrenaline.”

Freshman wing Kama Griffitts led CdA with 15 points, five rebounds, three steals and two assists. Senior point guard Jackie Lenz, who scored just three points in three games, had six assists.

Stark said that Centennial got out of its 2-3 zone and switched to man-to-man as soon as the Vikings took their lead.

CdA then had difficulty finding shots.

She was disappointed with the loss, but it won’t cloud the Vikings’ accomplishments.

“It was an unbelievable season,” Stark said. “I’m so proud of every one of us – especially our seniors Jackie (Lenz) and Krissy (McCoy). I love them to death. I’m going to miss both of them so much next year. And Poff (Dale Poffenroth) is the most amazing coach I’ve ever had. He’s brought us back from 2-19 to 21-5 (last year) to second place in state.”

Boise 51, Lake City 42: Darren Taylor appreciated the effort, but the execution by his Timberwolves had its flaws – particularly the shooting.

Playing from behind the whole game, LC (13-14) never found a comfortable rhythm. Consequently, the Timberwolves never mounted a serious offensive run.

“Now maybe they figure out you compete every game all season and get ready for those big games at state,” Taylor said. “We’re going to play a lot in the summer. We’ve got everybody back.”

Just getting back to state won’t be the only goal next year. LC was good enough to take home a trophy this year, but couldn’t find the range. In the first half, the T-Wolves shot 17 percent (5 of 29). LC made enough shots in second half to avoid game-long frostbite, but it wasn’t enough to overcome Boise’s slow tempo.

“If you don’t make baskets, you can’t press and get the tempo the way you want it,” Taylor said. “We had to play their style of game.”

LC freshman 6-foot post Katie Baker had another fine game, finishing with a team-high 17 points and nine rebounds.

“She’s ahead of her years as a freshman,” Taylor said. “She did everything we asked. She’s coachable, she works on what we say and she gets better at the things that we ask her to work on.”

Boise (21-5) was led by 6-2 and 6-2 posts Maggie Burkett and Kristin Henning, who combined for 30 points and 15 rebounds.