Bulldogs set to face some of the best in the Northwest at LC Invitational
COEUR d’ALENE — The Sandpoint boys basketball team returns to the hardwood on Thursday, playing in the opening game of the Lake City Invitational on Thursday, at 1 p.m. at Lake City.
The Bulldogs (1-6) will face Puyallup (2-5) in the opener of the eight team tournament, which includes some of the best teams from the Seattle/Tacoma area.
Lake City boys coach and athletic director Jim Winger started putting the new tournament together last spring, adding that in an effort to avoid a conflict with the Coeur d’Alene Inn-vitational, he wanted to schedule the tournament the week of New Year’s Jan. 3-5, but Washington schools return to play that week.
Puyallup knows nothing of Sandpoint, and it’s a safe bet Bulldog head coach Tyler Haynes knows very little about his first round opponent.
“We’re looking forward to bringing our team to Coeur d’Alene,” Puyallup coach Scott Campbell said, “and giving them a chance to experience a beautiful city and some great basketball competition over the Christmas holiday.”
Wilson High of Tacoma (4-2) will face Lakeland (4-3) in the opening round at 5:15 p.m. Lakeland has won three of its last four games, all coming at home, and could be Sandpoint’s biggest hurdle to get to state.
Wilson is young, according to coach Dave Alwert, and is led by 6-foot-6 wing Alphonso Anderson, 6-foot point guard David Jenkins and 6-foot guard Montre Brown — all of which are freshmen.
“In the past, they’ve had a real good program,” Winger said. “Wilson is supposed to be really good, but have three young freshmen. In the past, South Kitsap has been really tough. We just tried to get it going and wanted to get some local teams involved. It’s the first year and we’ll see what happens, but I’m pretty pleased to see five Tacoma/Seattle area teams here.”
South Kitsap (5-2) of Port Orchard faces Garfield of Seattle (5-1) Thursday at 3.
If the Bulldogs will face either the winner or loser of this game, depending on how their opener goes, and will get a chance to test their skills against aquality teams and players, which will bode well for the future.
Garfield’s Tucker Haymond is getting interest from Idaho State, Montana State, Western Michigan and Seattle U and teammate Trevaunte Williams from Western Oregon, Minot State and Post University in Waterbury, Conn.
“Garfield’s one of the better programs anywhere,” Winger said. “We didn’t have them at first, but I was sending out emails and wasn’t getting anything back from Skyline (of Sammamish, Wash.) and found out they’d had a coaching change. Garfield heard it was going on, had something fall through and kind of fell in our laps.”
Tournament host Lake City (5-2) will face Auburn (4-2) in the final game of the day at 7.
Tickets are available for $10 and the public is invited.
“I’m looking forward to it,” Winger said. “We’ve put a lot of work into it and I think it’s going to be pretty fun.”
LAKE CITY INVITATIONAL
At Lake City High
n Thursday
Game 1 — Sandpoint vs. Puyallup, 2 p.m.
Game 2 — Garfield vs. South Kitsap, 3:30
Game 3 — Lakeland vs. Wilson, 5:15
Game 4 — Lake City vs. Auburn, 7
n Friday
Game 5 — Loser Game 1 vs. Loser Game 2, 2 p.m.
Game 6 — Loser Game 3 vs. Loser Game 4, 3:30
Game 7 — Winner Game 1 vs. Winner Game 2, 5:15
Game 8 — Winner Game 3 vs. Winner Game 4, 7
n Saturday
Game 9 — Loser Game 5 vs. Loser Game 6, noon (7th-8th place game)
Game 10 — Winner Game 5 vs. Winner Game 6, 1:30 p.m. (consolation championship)
Game 11 — Loser Game 7 vs. Loser Game 8, 3:15 (3rd place game)
Game 12 — Winner Game 7 vs. Winner Game 8, 5 (championship game)