Preston takes advantage of Sandpoint's miscues

MERIDIAN — In close games, it’s the extra possessions that haunt you.

For Sandpoint, which turned the ball over 19 times, it still had a shot — despite everything that happened.

“Against a team like Preston, which starts five seniors, you’ve got to take care of the ball,” Sandpoint coach Will Love said. “You can’t put yourself in a situation like that, and they took advantage of it.”

But alas, Preston defeated Sandpoint 42-24 in the first round of the 4A Idaho state girls basketball tournament.

Daylee Driggs scored 12 points, Kelsey Cessna eight points for the Bulldogs (12-10), who shot 9 of 31 for the game.

“I thought we could have done better,” Cessna said. “We had a long day (Wednesday), with a long bus ride. If everyone was on our game, we could have competed with them. And none of us were really on our game tonight. We knew what they could do, but just didn’t shoot well tonight.”

Preston (17-7) had three players with 10 points each, finishing 19 of 45 shooting. Akazia Knapp,

“I’m proud of the girls,” Love said. “Offensively, it wasn’t what we were hoping for, but defensively we did some good things.”

Preston led 6-1 early on back-to-back 3-pointers from Meek. The Indians, who won their 10th game in their last 11, made three 3-pointers in the first quarter, but finished the game with four. Meek, Akazia Knapp and Riley Ward scored 10 points each for the Indians.

“Turnovers just kept biting us tonight,” Love said. “And they got some good looks and dominated the game in that way. We knew that they were going to put up some 3’s, and credit to them, they made a few when we didn’t.”

Daylee Driggs scored 12 points for Sandpoint, which faces the loser of Thursday’s late game between Burley and Middleton in a loser-out game tonight at 6 at Mountain View High.

“I think we just came out a little nervous,” Driggs said. “We weren’t focusing on winning, but our mindsets were a little off tonight. We just need to look at the film and focus on rebounding. Limiting our turnovers will also be a big thing as well.”

“Credit to the girls, we were in the game until the fourth quarter against a quality team that might make it to the state championship,” Love said. “It’s a real testament to our girls.”

Sandpoint finished the game 9 of 31 shooting.

“We thought we’d be ready for their zone because it’s similar to what Lakeland does,” Love said. “But with five seniors, and girls that played together as much as they probably have, that’s a good team. Credit to them, they got into us defensively.”

Sandpoint 6 7 7 4 — 24

Preston 15 8 10 9 — 42

SANDPOINT — K. Cessna 8, De. Driggs 0, Da. Driggs 12, Reinink 0, P. Cessna 0, Tomco 0, Richardson 0, Owens 0, Strock 0, Lyons 0, Platte 4, Tuinstra 0.

PRESTON — C. Kunz 0, Roberts 0, Knapp 10, Ward 10, Swainstion 2, Anderson 2, Romney 0, Robertson 6, E. Kunz 2, Meek 10, Harris 0.