Idaho girls state: Skylar Burke leads Coeur d’Alene past Boise in first-round win

Coeur d’Alene went two-and-out last year at state after entering as the No. 1 seed out of District 1. The Vikings weren’t going to let that happen for the second year in a row, but they needed a fourth-quarter comeback to do so.

Junior Skylar Burke scored 20 points, includingeight in the final quarter, as CdA erased a six-point deficit and topped the Boise Brave 56-50 in an Idaho 5A State first-round game at Ford Idaho Center in Nampa on Thursday.

Boise’s 6-foot-4 post Ashley Banks, a Southern Utah commit, led the Brave with 15 points. Allison Ross added 12.

Coeur d’Alene advances to a semifinal against Thunder Ridge on Friday at 3:30 p.m. The Vikings (19-1) entered the tournament ranked No. 1 in 5A in the state media poll.

Trailing by six early in the fourth quarter, CdA used a 12-0 run to retake the lead, then hit 10 of 11 free throws down the stretch – including six straight by Burke. The Vikings outscored the Brave 18-10 in the final quarter.

Tori Younker made a pair of early 3-pointers and CdA led 17-7 after one quarter. Fueled by Banks, Boise (9-5) used a 6-0 run early in the second quarter to cut into the deficit. CdA’s Emma Whiteman drilled a 3 late and the Vikings led 26-22 at halftime.

Banks’ three-point play at the start of the third quarter made it a one-point game. Ava Oakland’s 3-pointer gave the Brave their first lead at 34-32midway through the frame.

Banks’ two layups at the start of the fourth quarter pushed Boise’s lead to six. But CdA made its 12-0 run, punctuated by a long jumper by Madi Symons, and led 50-47 with just over 2 minutes to go.

Avery Howell’s layup with 50 seconds left made it a one-possession game, but Burke nailed four straight free throws to ice it. Burke finished 10 of 10 from the line and CdA went 17 of 19.

Rigby 56, Post Falls 36: Tylie Jones scored 15 points and Rigby (20-3) beat the Trojans (14-8) in a 5A first-round matchup at the Ford Idaho Center. Hanna Christiansen had seven points and six boards for Post Falls, which faces Timberline in a consolation bracket game Saturday at 6 p.m.

Sandpoint 44, Columbia 36: Kaylee Banks scored 16 points and the Bulldogs (12-11) topped the Wildcats (13-11) in a 4A first-round game at Mountain View HS. Sandpoint advances to face Century in a semifinal on Friday at 4 p.m. Columbia was led by Mia Nottingham with 13 points.

Timberlake 66, McCall-Donnelly 36: Blayre Jeffs scored 18 points, McKennah Kronenberg had 17 and Brooke Jessen added 15 and the Tigers (21-2) topped the Vandals (6-5) in a 3A first-round game at Middleton HS. Timberlake faces Parma in a semifinal Saturday at 6 p.m.

Sugar-Salem 70, Bonners Ferry 10: Kennedy Gillette scored 13 points and the top-ranked Diggers (23-1) beat the Badgers (14-7) in a 3A first-round game at Middleton HS. Bonners Ferry will face Marsh Valley in a consolation bracketgame Friday at 11 a.m.

Rimrock 70, Lakeside 55: Sintia Varela scored 25 points and the Raiders (17-3) eliminated the Knights (12-9) in a 1AD1 consolation game. Ashlee Holt led the Knights with 20 points and nine boards while Arianna Gorr and Jolissa Holt added 12 points apiece.

Camas County 50, Mullan 13: Alyssa Whittle scored 21 points and the Mushers (15-7) eliminated the Tigers (9-9), making their first state appearance since 1986, in a 1AD2 consolation game. Talowa Fallingwater paced Mullan with seven points and seven rebounds.