Spartans battle Badgers in district loser-out game tonight

KELLOGG — Priest River boys basketball tried to overcome the Intermountain League’s No. 1 seed in the district tournament Monday, but without sophomore Trentyn Kreager the Spartans couldn’t keep up falling 73-39 to Kellogg.

Now Priest River (7-14) will have to win tonight’s loser-out game against No. 3 seed Bonners Ferry to keep their season alive. Tip-off for that game is set for 5:30 p.m. at Kellogg High School.

If the Spartans top the Badgers, they will face the loser of the district championship game between Kellogg and Timberlake at 6 p.m. Thursday. If Priest River wins that game, they would advance to a state play-in game.

Just a week ago, these teams met on the Spartans’ home court and Priest River gave the Wildcats everything they could handle and Kreager nearly single-handedly dethroned Kellogg. He scored 27 points and had seven rebounds.

But late in that game, Kreager limped off with an injury that would later be diagnosed as a torn MCL.

So just like they have been all season, the Spartans were shorthanded Monday with only six varsity players at full strength.

The game quickly got out of a hand as Kellogg took a 21-4 lead after the first quarter.

The Spartans were able to hang with the Wildcats in the second half 34-29, but a 29-point halftime deficit was too much to overcome.

“A slow first quarter put us in a stressful fight,” head coach Kevin Wylie wrote in a text. “We gave up too many transition points and turned the ball over which allowed Kellogg to jump out [early].”

Senior Caden Brennan led the team with 16 points and Jayden Hahn added 11. Jantzen Lucas tallied 8.