The Bonners Ferry girls varsity basketball team lost a heartbreaker Saturday sending Priest River to state with a score of 45 to 42.

Coach Travis Hinthorn said the Badger girls played the best defensive game of the year against the Spartans. He said the team did everything they wanted to do in the first half.

Hinthorn said they had the Spartan’s tall girl in goal trouble, their best shooter was injured for the first half and their point guard was frustrated. 

“We had their three all league players on the bench and couldn’t make a run,” Hinthorn said. “We had their tall girl in foul trouble. but didn’t pass the ball inside.”

Markayle Acord scored inside and Aubree Wasmer hit a three-point shot to put up five points with 3:31 left in the game.

“I think we believed we could beat them,” said Hinthorn. “But we were outscored 10 to two  in the last three minutes and didn’t get a shot off until the buzzer.”

Hinthorn said the team panicked but gave themselves a chance to win, and that is what they wanted to get a chance.

“We were playing some of the best basketball of the year and that is all you can cask for,” he said.

Districts was played Feb. 9 and 10. 

In the first game the Badgers played against Priest River and lost with a score of 55 to 39.

“We had a hard time defensivly, said Hinthorn. “They (Spartans) adjust well to different defenses and set their shooters open.”

In the second game Bonners Ferry beat Kellogg 62 to 46. This kept the state chances for the Badgers  alive leading into the Priest River game for state.

“We match up well with Kellogg and played with a lot of confidence,” Hinthorn said.  “We were up 10 points early on and could relax a little.”

Markayle Accord scored 14 points and had 12 rebounds.  Jordan Porter added 10 rebounds and Jenna Gust and Amber Riley combined for seven rebounds, nine assists and two blocked shots.

Markayle Acord made all league averaging 9.9 points to 5.6 rebounds per game.