Wildcats move ahead

Kellogg only led once in Wednesday’s 3A District I boys basketball tournament second-place game.

Fortunately for the Wildcats, it was at the end of a 43-41 victory over Priest River at North Idaho College’s Christianson Gym.

Kellogg (16-7) advances to a play-in game Saturday at 1:30 p.m. in Craigmont against the District III runner-up – either Payette (14-9) or Weiser (16-7), who square off in a loser-out game tonight.

Wildcats senior Jacob Kagarise, who missed a potential game-winning 3-pointer in a loss to Bonners Ferry in the championship game Tuesday, found a measure of redemption Wednesday.

The 6-foot-2 post scored 10 of his team-high 13 points in the fourth quarter, including the game-tying and game-winning baskets, the final with 13 seconds left.

Kellogg played without starting guard Jeremiah Big Spring, who was suspended from the team for the remainder of the season for disciplinary reasons.

Kagarise said the victory was sweeter in light of the off-court distractions.

“Oh, man, there’s been so much drama the past two years from this basketball team,” said Kagarise. “I just think the seniors on this team are so strong to persevere through all that. … There’s just been so much drama, and I’m real proud of my teammates tonight.”

Not starting too well was an understatement.

Kellogg hit less than 18 percent from the field on 5-of-28 shooting in the first half and trailed 23-17 at the break.

In the second half, Priest River didn’t let up and stretched the lead to 32-20 on junior guard Micah Smith’s 3-pointer with 3 minutes left in the third quarter.

Kellogg then went on a 7-0 run, capped by a pair of transition baskets by senior guard Matthew Kilbourne, and began the fourth quarter down by five.

After 5-plus minutes of back-and-forth buckets, Kagarise pulled Kellogg within two, 39-37, on a putback of his miss at the 2:40 mark.

After the teams exchanged baskets, Kagarise tied it up with a layin and teammate Jacob Conboy promptly stole the ball on a trap at midcourt.

After a Kellogg timeout, Kagarise again got the call under the basket and again followed his miss with a rebound and putback in heavy traffic for the game-winning points.

Kellogg forced another turnover on the ensuing inbounds play and the game was over.

Smith (16 points) led all scorers for Priest River, which finished the season 12-9.