Postseason boys basketball tips off Tuesday

For the second straight year, Coeur d'Alene (8-12) and Lake City (11-9) will square off tonight in a loser-out game to open the 5A Region 1 boys basketball tournament.

Tipoff is scheduled for 7 p.m. at Lake City.

Coeur d'Alene beat Lake City by four and six points in Inland Empire League play. Lake City triumphed 58-44 in the Fight for the Fish game when the two teams last met Jan. 14.

Lake City won its last two league games to jump over Coeur d'Alene and claim the No. 2 seed to regionals. Coeur d'Alene has lost six of its last seven.

Last year, Coeur d'Alene eliminated Lake City with a 53-40 victory at home.

The winner plays at No. 1 seed Lewiston (10-8) on Friday in the opener of a best-of-3 series for the regional title. The winner will play host to the second game next Tuesday; the if-necessary game would be Feb. 24 at Lewiston.

Lewiston swept Coeur d'Alene in IEL play, and split with Lake City.

The regional champ advances to state March 3-5 at the Idaho Center in Nampa. The runner-up can also go to state by winning a play-in game on Feb. 26.

Lewiston is the two-time defending regional champs. Lake City last went to state in 2002, when the Timberwolves lost to Madison of Rexburg in the state title game. Coeur d'Alene last made it to state in 2001.

The double-elimination 4A Region 1 boys tourney also opens tonight. No. 1 seed Post Falls (13-7), the IEL champion, plays host to No. 4 Lakeland (8-12), and No. 2 Moscow (15-5) is home against No. 3 Sandpoint (12-8), both at 7 p.m.

Tonight's winners play Friday at 7 p.m. at the highest seed, with the winner advancing to state March 3-5 at Albertson College in Caldwell. Tonight's losers play Friday in a loser-out game. The two remaining teams play next Tuesday for second place, and a spot in a state play-in game Feb. 26.

Post Falls beat Lakeland all three times during the regular season, went 2-0 vs. Sandpoint, and split with Moscow.

Moscow is the four-time defending 4A regional champs.

Lakeland, which moved up to 4A this year, won the 3A district title last year.

At least Post Falls won't have to worry about Lake City any more this season. The Trojans won 12 of their last 14 after a 1-5 start, but their two losses were to the Timberwolves, including one last Friday in the regular-season finale.

The 3A District 1 tournament begins next Tuesday at North Idaho College.

The 1A District 1 tourney starts next Monday with a loser-out game at the No. 6 seed, and continues the next night at Lakeland High.

Wrestlemania, North Idaho-style: It will be wall-to-wall wrestling Saturday in Post Falls when the 5A Region 1 tournament, the 4A Region 1 tourney and the 3A District 1 tourney unfold simultaneously at The Arena.

Wrestling starts at 8 a.m. The finals in each division will go on side-by-side-by-side on three mats, beginning around 6:30 p.m.

The top four placers in 5A, the top two players in 4A and the top three placers in 3A qualify for state. Third-place finishers in 4A will be considered for at-large berths.

The state tourneys are Feb. 24-26 at the Idaho Center in Nampa.

Coeur d'Alene has won the last two 5A Region 1 team titles. Post Falls won the 4A regional crown last year, ending Sandpoint's three-year run. Bonners Ferry is the four-time defending 3A district champs.