PREP BASKETBALL: Banks’ 26 leads Sandpoint girls past Post Falls for fifth straight win

SANDPOINT — It was a hard-fought game, but the Bulldogs’ fourth quarter rally proved to be too much for the Trojans. Between the third and fourth, Sandpoint, led by multiple three-pointers from seniors Karlie Banks and Aliya Strock, went on a 15-0 run to seal the deal at Les Rogers Court on Friday.

Tied 24-24 at halftime, head coach Will Love told his team they needed to calm down, create more space on the attack, and move more on offense. The Bulldogs ended up doing exactly that.

“We were calling a lot of sets in the first half, but just let them play basketball through some formations in the second.” Love said.

At the end of the third quarter, Banks hit a buzzer-beater three to put the Bulldogs on top, 37-36. It was the momentum Sandpoint needed to finish out the game with a win. 

“Huge, huge shot,” Love said. “She timed it just perfectly and knew how much time she had to step into it — once she released it, she knew it was in. That shot got the crowd going, and got Aliya (Strock) pumped up for the fourth quarter.”

Strock translated that excitement into her gameplay. 

To start the fourth, the Bulldogs scored 12 straight points, eight of which came from Strock. After missing both of her free throws early on, Strock tracked down her own rebound in the corner and sank a three-pointer to put Sandpoint up by six. She would score the next five points as well, and eventually Sandpoint found themselves up by 13 midway through the fourth quarter after another three from Banks. Sandpoint maintained that lead throughout the rest of the fourth and captured their fifth straight win.

Banks had a game-high 26 points, nine rebounds, and two blocks. Strock added 12 points, seven rebounds and three steals. Freshman Brecken Mire had 10 points, five rebounds, five assists, and three steals for the Bulldogs.

Post Falls’ Brooklyn Brennan led the Trojans with 20 points.

“Post Falls has some great players who played really hard; we had trouble getting in sync,” Love said. “I’m excited to see how we responded tonight to a tough challenge. It was a good learning experience against another 5A opponent and we will look to continue that … we will have to get to work with Lake City coming up.”

Sandpoint (5-0, 2-0) will be back in action against Lake City on the road Tuesday.

Post Falls 14 10 12 8 – 44

Sandpoint 16 8 13 19 – 56

PTS: SPT – Banks 26, Strock 12, Mire 10, Driggs 4, Tomco 3, Laybourne 1. PF – Brennan 20, Berg 7, Walton 7, Asper 5, Mclean 3, Allen 2.

REB: SPT – Banks 9, Tomco 8, Strock 7, Mire 5, Driggs 3, Richardson 2, Laybourne 1. PF – Asper 5, Berg 4, Mclean 3, Brennan 3, Walton 2, Allen 2, Mitley 1, Nipp-Berger 1.

AST: SPT – Mire 5, Strock 2. PF – Walton 4, Asper 2, Mitley 1, Mclean 1, Brennan 1.

STL: SPT – Mire 3, Strock 3, Banks 1, Tomco 1. PF – Brennan 4, Walton 3, Mclean 2, Mitley 1. 

BLK: SPT – Banks 2. PF – Asper 2

    Sandpoint freshman Jordyn Tomco battles for possession of the ball against Post Falls' Brooklyn Brennan while Aliya Strock (left) and Karlie Banks are in support nearby.
  

BOYS

Kellogg 53, Priest River 27

PRIEST RIVER — Senior Reed Whatcott scored 20 points for the Wildcats, who held the Spartans scoreless in the second quarter of the Central Idaho League opener at Priest River High on Friday.

Junior Sawyer Staudt scored a team-high 12 points for Priest River (1-2), which hosts Orofino on Saturday.

Kellogg 12 10 13 18 — 53

Priest River 10 0 12 5 — 27

KELLOGG — Robinson 0, Whatcott 20, Coburn 0, Taylor 8, Blalack 2, Fields 1, Lewis 14, McDonald 6, Garry 2, Cheney 0, Vindasius 0. 

PRIEST RIVER — Mathews 2, Coleman 6, Staudt 12, Stifel 0, Lamanna 3, Korff 4, Best 0, Cook 0, Hatten 0, Kreager 0.