Bulldogs take down Timberlake to win fourth straight
(Photo by KYLE CAJERO) Junior Kobe Banks drives to the basket during the third quarter of the Bulldogs’ 61-48 win over Timberlake.
SANDPOINT — Sandpoint avenged an earlier loss to Timberlake by cruising to a 61-48 win on Friday night at Les Rogers Court.
“We’re playing better as a team,” Sandpoint head coach Wade Engelson said. “We’re executing our stuff better and playing better defense, we’re turning the ball over less and we won the rebounding battle [this time]. We’re getting better every week, which is a positive.”
Although the Bulldogs were playing on six days rest after playing four games in a seven-day span, the rust didn’t show early on as the Bulldogs jumped out to six-point lead. Yet when the second quarter rolled around, Sandpoint’s offense stalled as they tried to run different sets in a new-look offense. During these growing pains, it appeared as if the Bulldogs were competing with the Tigers and themselves.
“We recognized as a coaching staff that we needed to make some changes, so we’ve changed offenses,” Engelson said. “Guys are still learning the reads off of that offense. Practicing is one thing. Running these plays in game situations is another. Tonight was a great opportunity to start to do this in game situations.”
Four of Sandpoint’s starters scored in double-figures. Yet again, the Bulldogs were paced by junior forwards Kobe Banks (17 points) and Ryan Roos (13 points), plus seniors Alex Stockton and Bruin Jones also scored 13 points apiece. Jones led the Bulldogs with six assists, while Stockton grabbed a team-high six rebounds.
Timberlake relied on to Sheldon Kistler’s seven first-half points early on, then turned to Dawson Cramer in the third quarter. Cramer came off the bench and nearly countered the Bulldogs’ 10-3 opening run with seven third-quarter points of his own.
Although the game seemed close after three quarters, Sandpoint’s defense put the clamps down in the fourth, holing the Tigers to only one field goal.
Sandpoint (5-3) carries its four-game winning streak into the Eagle Classic, in which they’ll play a pair of games on Dec. 28 and 29. Timberlake (2-5) will look to turn things around in the West Valley Tournament in Spokane, which kicks off on Dec. 28.
Timberlake 13 12 18 5 — 48
Sandpoint 19 5 20 17 — 61
TIMBERLAKE — Wilfong 9, James 4, Kistler 7, Kluss 8, Gardom 9, McDonald 2, Cramer 9, Dickerson 0.
SANDPOINT — Jones 13, Roos 13, Banks 17, Casey 0, Stockton 13, Niemela 3, Bailey 1, Vandenberg 0, Chandler 0, Larson 0, Treadaway 0.