PREP GIRLS BASKETBALL: Sandpoint struggles in loss to Shelley

Shelley 55, Sandpoint 35

SHELLEY — At Shelley High, senior Demi Driggs and sophomore Brecken Mire tied for a team-high 12 points as the Lady Bulldogs were bested by the 4A (now 5A) defending state champion Lady Russets on Thursday during the first round of the East Idaho Holiday Shootout.

"I thought we did some good things defensively throughout the game," Sandpoint High head coach Will Love said. "Offensively, we just couldn't get anything going. Shelley plays a tough lock left defense and they executed it tonight. It took us awhile to figure out how to attack it."

Mire added five assists and five steals to the stat sheet while senior Chloe Laybourne hit two 3-pointers and hauled in five rebounds for Sandpoint, which picked up the scoring in the second half after trailing 23-13 at halftime.

"We came down here to this tournament to learn some things, especially in regards to what it will take to get back to state," Love said. "Tonight's definitely something we can learn from."

Senior Mia Williams and junior Riley Carlson each had 15 points for Shelley, which is now 6-5 after a 25-0 season last year.

Sandpoint (6-4) faces Hillcrest today at Hillcrest High for their second game of the tournament.

Sandpoint 8 5 9 13 — 35

Shelley 12 11 16 16 — 55

PTS: SPT — Mire 12, D. Driggs 12, Ch. Laybourne 6, Ca. Laybourne 3, Thaete 2. SHL — Carlson 15, M. Williams 15, L. Williams 7, Kelly 5, Pascoe 4, Higham 4, S. Kidman 3, Packer 2.

REB: SPT — Ch. Laybourne 5, L. Driggs 4, Ca. Laybourne 4, D. Driggs 3, M. Driggs 3, Mire 3, Thaete 3. SHL — M. Williams 9, Higham 4, L. Williams 3, Carlson 3, Kelly 3, S. Kidman 1, Pascoe 1, Packer 1.

AST: SPT — Mire 5, Thaete 1, Ca. Laybourne 1. SHL — M. Williams 6, S. Kidman 2, Pascoe 2, Packer 1.

STL: SPT — Mire 5, D. Driggs 1, Ch. Laybourne 1. SHL — M. Williams 3, Pascoe 2, Higham 1, L. Williams 1, Kelly 1, Packer 1.

BLK: SPT — Mire 1, D. Driggs 1. SHL — Higham 1, Carlson 1.