PREP GIRLS BASKETBALL: Sandpoint to face Middleton in first round of 5A state tournament

SANDPOINT BULLDOGS

Record: 14-10

State seed: #6, District 1-2 champion

Coach: Will Love, seventh season

Players to watch: G Brecken Mire, so; G Jordyn Tomco, so.; G/F Demi Driggs, sr.

Notes: At state for the first time since 2023, the year in which the Bulldogs brought home their one and only state championship. ... Have clinched a state berth in eight of the last 10 seasons. ... Unranked in final media poll of the season. ... Has won seven straight games dating back to Jan. 21, which started with a win over No. 4-ranked 4A Timberlake. ... Recaptured District 1-2 title after falling to Lakeland last season. ... Beat 6A's Lake City (54-37) and Post Falls (62-48) during the regular season. ... Returning 5A IEL First Team honoree, Mire, a 5-foot 10 guard, averaged 15.9 points (46% FG, 72% FT), 4.0 rebounds, 4.8 assists, 1.9 steals and 1.0 blocks per game during the regular season, but an ankle injury in the district tournament could limit her playing time. ... Returning 5A IEL Newcomer of the Year, Tomco, a 5-foot 8 guard, averaged 13.1 points per game and shot 37% from 3-point range. ... Driggs averaged 6.3 points and 5.0 rebounds per game down low and has erupted for 20 points and 15 points against 6A Lake City and 6A Post Falls, respectively. ... Shoots 38% from the floor as a team and averages 9.2 team assists per game. ... Seeking a first-round win for the fourth time under Love, a 1995 graduate of Sandpoint High.

MIDDLETON VIKINGS

Record: 23-1

State seed: #3, District 3 champion

Coach: Marianne Blackwell, second season

Players to watch: G Zoey Blackwell, jr.; G Elsie Wyatt, sr.; F Aysha Fried, jr.; G Dawn Holman, fr.

Notes: Moved down a classification to 5A this season. … Reached 5A (now 6A) state tournament last season and went two-and-out. … Currently on a 19-game win streak. … Ranked No. 1 in state media poll for six straight weeks, including the final poll. … Only loss came against Owyhee, the No. 1 team in 6A. … Defeated Bishop Kelly 57-30 in district championship. … 3-0 vs Bishop Kelly this season and 3-0 vs 5A state qualifiers. … Additional wins over 6A qualifiers Madison, Eagle and Boise. … Wyatt is the leading scorer (12.8 ppg) and only senior on the team. … Blackwell (12.5 ppg, 4.9 rebounds, 4.1 assists, 4.8 steals) fills up the stat sheet. … She reached 1,000 career points in district championship and was named the 5A (now 6A) SIC Defensive Player of the Year in 2023-24. … Sister Olivia starts as well, daughters of head coach Marianne. … Five state titles in school history, all under current Timberline head coach Andy Jones. … Last state title came in 2017.

5A State Tournament Schedule

Thursday's Games

At Mountain View High, Meridian 

Game 1 — No. 3 seed Middleton (23-1) vs. No. 6 Sandpoint (14-10), 11 a.m. 

Game 2 — No. 2 Mountain Home (19-4) vs. No. 7 Jerome (17-8), 1 p.m. 

Game 3 — No. 1 Pocatello (21-2) vs. No. 8 Bishop Kelly (17-7), 4 p.m. 

Game 4 — No. 4 Blackfoot (18-5) vs. No. 5 Skyline (16-8) , 6 p.m. 

Friday's Games

At Mountain View High, Meridian 

Game 5 — Loser Game 1 vs. Loser Game 2 , 11 a.m. (loser out) 

Game 6 — Loser Game 3 vs. Loser Game 4, 1 p.m. (loser out) 

At Ford Idaho Center, Nampa 

Game 7 — Winner Game 1 vs. Winner Game 2, 4 p.m. (semifinals) 

Game 8 — Winner Game 3 vs. Winner Game 4, 6:30 p.m. (semifinals) 

Saturday's Games

Consolation championship 

At Mountain View High, Meridian 

Winner Game 5 vs. Winner Game 6, 9 a.m. 

Third-place game 

At Mountain View High, Meridian 

Loser Game 7 vs. Loser Game 8, 11 a.m. 

Championship game 

At Ford Idaho Center, Nampa 

Winner Game 7 vs. Winner Game 8, 5 p.m.