PREP BASKETBALL: Stout defense lifts Sandpoint girls to victory against Royal

GIRLS

Sandpoint 45, Royal 29

SPOKANE VALLEY — The Lady Bulldogs had a combined five blocks, 10 steals, and used a 28-16 scoring differential in the second half to capture a win over the Lady Knights in their final game of the West Valley Holiday Classic on Saturday.

"It was a dogfight," Sandpoint High head coach Will Love said. "I'm really pleased with what we were able to do on the defensive end. We were looking to keep things (Royal's scoring) under 10 points per quarter and accomplished that. Credit to Royal, they also played some really tough defense and kept us out of a good rhythm."

Sophomore Brecken Mire led the way once again for the Lady Bulldogs, contributing a game-high 15 points, five assists, three steals and two blocks. Junior Jetta Thaete added a season-high seven points, sophomores Livia Driggs and Carly Laybourne six points each, and junior Mia Driggs hauled in a team-high six rebounds.

Senior Audrey Bergeson had nine points for Royal, which is located just outside of Moses Lake, Wash.

Senior Chloe Laybourne rounded things out with five points and five rebounds for Sandpoint (6-3), which travels to the East Idaho Holiday Shootout on Thursday where they'll face defending 4A (now 5A) state champions Shelley at Shelley High.

Royal 10 3 7 9 — 29

Sandpoint 9 8 15 13 — 45

PTS: SPT — Mire 15, Thaete 7, L. Driggs 6, Ca. Laybourne 6, Ch. Laybourne 5, D. Driggs 3, Butler 3. ROY — Bergeson 9, Hill 7, Frank 4, Webb 4, V. Cedillo 3, Eilers 2. 

REB: SPT — M. Driggs 6, Ca. Laybourne 5, D. Driggs 5, Ch. Laybourne 4, Thaete 4, L. Driggs 1, Mire 1. ROY — N/A.

AST: SPT — Mire 5, L. Driggs 2, Ca. Laybourne 1. ROY — N/A.

STL: SPT — Mire 3, D. Driggs 2, Ca. Laybourne 2, Loutzenhiser 1, Ch. Laybourne 1, L. Driggs 1. ROY — N/A.

BLK: SPT — Mire 2, D. Driggs 2, M. Driggs 1. ROY — N/A.

BOYS

Rocky River 61, Sandpoint 58

CHANDLER, Ariz. — At Chandler Prep, senior Emerik Jones scored 13 of his team-high 15 points in the second half as the Bulldogs' comeback bid came up shy against the Pirates on day two of the Cactus Phoenix Hoop Classic Tournament.

Sophomore Brock Yarbrough scored a season-high 12 points and drained two 3-pointers while junior Kingston Corbett also reached double-figures with 12 of his own.

Sandpoint, which trailed 35-28 at halftime before making a run, also got scoring contributions from sophomore Logan Iverson, who had nine points, and junior Logan Roos, who netted eight. The pair each hit two 3-pointers on the day.

Jacob Radcliffe had a game-high 20 points for Rocky River, which hails from the suburbs of Cleveland, Ohio.

Sandpoint (1-6) will wrap up play in the 'Tempe Division' bracket on Monday when they matchup with Whitney High of Rocklin, Calif.

Rocky River 16 19 8 18 — 61

Sandpoint 13 15 11 19 — 58

PTS: SPT — Jones 15, Yarbrough 12, Corbett 12, Iverson 9, Roos 8, Gion 2. RR — Radcliffe 20, Maslar 16, Berg 9, Swallow 8, Nazette 5, R. Kennedy 3.