Bulldogs fall to Hawks in 4A Region 1 opener
<p>Sandpoint senior Maggie Kirscher tries to split a double team in the Bulldogs’ loss to the Hawks on Tuesday night. (Photo by JEROME POLLOS/HNN)</p>
RATHDRUM — Cieana Close shook off a first-half shoulder injury to score 11 of her 15 points in the second half to lead the second-seeded Lakeland Hawks to a 52-41 victory over the third-seeded Sandpoint Bulldogs in the first round of the 4A Region 1 girls basketball tournament Tuesday night at Hawk Court.
Close hit three 3-pointers in the second half, two in the pivotal third quarter which saw Lakeland outscore Sandpoint 19-9 to widen its lead to 41-29.
“She missed probably 4-5 minutes of the second quarter, and I wasn’t sure if she was going to be able to come back,” Lakeland coach Steve Seymour said. “Her shoulder sure seemed OK when she was knocking down those big 3s.”
Maggie Kirscher, who suffered a sprained ankle in Sandpoint’s home loss to Lakeland last Friday, hit 4 of 6 from the floor and 7 of 8 from the line for a team-high 15 points.
“Maggie Kirscher made almost everything she looked at,” Seymour said.
Hailey Olin added 11 points and Jordan Speelmon six for the Bulldogs, who tied the game at 21-21 before Lakeland blew it open.
Lakeland (12-9) advances to play at No. 1 seed Moscow (9-10) on Thursday at 7 p.m. in the second round. The winner advances to the championship game next Tuesday. The loser plays Sandpoint on Saturday in a loser-out game.
Sandpoint 5 15 9 12 — 41
Lakeland 14 8 19 11 — 52
SANDPOINT — Speelmon 6, Bruce 5, Van Ooyen 0, Chatburn 0, Alamillo 3, Olin 11, Curless 1, Roop 0, Kirscher 15, Young 0.
LAKELAND — Tapplin 7, Murray 8, Bayley 1, Ward 0, Coder 12, Wendle 2, Duffey 2, Close 15, Jewell 0, Derby 5.