Bulldogs drop season opener to Tigers

SANDPOINT — Senior shooting guard Charissa Chatburn scored a team-high 13 points, including three bombs from beyond the arc, but it wasn’t enough as Sandpoint dropped its season opener 53-34 to Timberlake Friday night in nonleague girls basketball at Les Rogers Court.

The Bulldogs (0-1) hung with the Tigers (1-0) early, trailing by only four points at half, but the long range shooting of Kara Wenstrom and the inside play of Cassie Thompson proved too much as the Tigers blew the game open in the second half.

The 6-foot-2 Thompson, who signed to play basketball next season at the University of Portland, scored 25 points on the blocks and Wenstrom added 18, including four 3-pointers.

Natasha Roop added nine points and Maggie Kirscher six in defeat, as the Bulldogs served notice that they’re a much improved team from a year ago against a Tigers team that figures to contend for a 3A state title.

Sandpoint hosts St. Maries tonight, with tip-off at 5:30 p.m.

Timberlake      10    16   15   12 — 53

Sandpoint        10    12    4     8 — 34

TIMBERLAKE — Wenstrom 18, Malloy 2, Mason 0, Hoffman 2, Nichols 4, Thompson 25, Peters 2, George 0.

SANDPOINT — Van Ooyen 0, Chatburn 13, Kirscher 6, Roop 9, Oyharsabal 0, Tucker 0, Speelmon 2, Bruce 0, Olin 4.