POST FALLS - When Lewiston sank 3-pointers from all over The Arena a week ago, Post Falls coach Mike McLean was blunt about the Trojans' defensive effort.

"If you score 64 points, you should be able to win," McLean said after the loss. "It just comes down to, we don't guard anybody."

The Trojans took that criticism to heart, winning a defensive struggle against Lake City on Tuesday, then booking their third straight trip to state with a 59-43 win over the Bengals Saturday.

Post Falls (19-4), the defending 5A champ, will face Borah (18-5) of Boise, the District 3 runners-up, in its state opener Thursday at 7 p.m. PST at the Idaho Center in Nampa.

"We didn't really change anything that we try to do on defense," McLean said of Saturday's effort. "We just challenged the kids as individuals to have a little pride and guard people, and to believe that your teammates will be there to help."

In the rematch with visiting Lewiston (12-11), it was Marcus Colbert who sank jump shots from all over the gym, while teammate Connor Hill clamped down on Matt Kalbfleisch, the Bengals' top scorer.

Kalbfleisch scored 26 in Lewiston's Feb. 18 win over Post Falls, then poured in 23 Friday in the Bengals' loss to Coeur d'Alene.

Saturday was a different story, as Hill shadowed Kalbfleisch all over the court and limited him to two points on a pair of fourth-quarter free throws.

"Connor did a great job on him. He set the tone for us with his defense," Colbert said.

"I just decided to put our best athlete on (Kalbfleisch), and Connor was up to the challenge," McLean added.

Colbert hit his first five shots and scored the first 12 points for Post Falls, with his 3-pointer putting the Trojans ahead for good, 12-11, six minutes into the game.

The junior guard finished his 25-point night with a flourish, stealing the ball with 1:37 remaining and throwing down a one-handed dunk to give Post Falls a 55-40 lead and send the hometown fans up for grabs.

"To start the game, they just left me open, so I took advantage," Colbert said. "(On the dunk), I felt it when I was going in. I looked behind me, no one was close, so I just went for it."

McLean was more impressed by the smooth stroke on Colbert's jump shots than the dunk.

"With Marcus, everybody is worried about his penetration. He can get into the lane better than anybody in the state," he said. "People challenge him to hit outside shots, and he's put the work in to hit them."

Colbert and Hill had plenty of help in the defensive effort. Posts Matt Lickfold and Michael Hillman led the Trojans to a 30-18 rebounding edge, with Hillman grabbing nine boards.

And the senior guard duo of Kyle English and Damon Gonzales combined for 13 points off the bench while staying with Lewiston's outside shooters. The Bengals shot 7 for 27 from the floor in the second half and 17 for 46 in the game.

"Kyle and Damon, sometimes that's their role for our team. They come off the bench and give us energy and defend," McLean said.

The end result is another trip to the Idaho Center, and the four players from last year's team - Colbert, Hill, Gonzales and Lickfold - have one thing in mind.

"We're going down there to win," Hill said. "We want to repeat, and playing like we did tonight is the way to do it."

Lewiston 15 9 8 11 - 43

Post Falls 16 13 12 18 - 59

LEWISTON - Fuentes 8, Imel 7, Kalbfleisch 2, Thomason 12, Heitzman 8, Hansen 5, Beck 1, Mai 0, Gaskill 0, Bernatz 0, Havens 0, McIntosh 0.

POST FALLS - Hill 14, Thoreson 1, Colbert 25, Hillman 3, Lickfold 3, Gonzales 6, English 7, Anderson 0, Valente 0.

State tournament schedules

Times PST

At the Idaho Center, Nampa

Thursday, March 3

Game 1 - Coeur d'Alene (15-7) vs. Eagle (14-10), 12:15 p.m.

Game 2 - Centennial (18-5) vs. Timberline (15-8), 2

Game 3 - Idaho Falls (13-11) vs. Mountain View (18-5), 5:15

Game 4 - Post Falls (19-4) vs. Borah (18-5), 7

Friday, March 4

Game 5 - Loser Game 1 vs. Loser Game 2, 12:15 p.m. (loser out)

Game 6 - Loser Game 3 vs. Loser Game 4, 2 (loser out)

Game 7 - Winner Game 1 vs. Winner Game 2, 5:15 (semifinal)

Game 8 - Winner Game 3 vs. Winner Game 4, 7 (semifinal)

Saturday, March 5

Consolation championship - Winner Game 5 vs. Winner Game 6, 8:15 a.m. (at Columbia High)

Third-place game - Loser Game 7 vs. Loser Game 8, 10 a.m. (at Columbia High)

Championship game - Winner Game 7 vs. Winner Game 8, 7 p.m.

At Borah High, Boise

Thursday, March 3

Game 1 - Minico (22-1) vs. Rigby (16-10), 12:15 p.m.

Game 2 - Moscow (8-13) vs. Skyview (19-4), 2

Game 3 - Bishop Kelly (15-8) vs. Madison (14-8), 5:15

Game 4 - Century (13-9) vs. Twin Falls (18-7), 7

Friday, March 4

Game 5 - Loser Game 1 vs. Loser Game 2, 12:15 p.m. (loser out)

Game 6 - Loser Game 3 vs. Loser Game 4, 2 (loser out)

Game 7 - Winner Game 1 vs. Winner Game 2, 5:15 (semifinal)

Game 8 - Winner Game 3 vs. Winner Game 4, 7 (semifinal)

Saturday, March 5

Consolation championship - Winner Game 5 vs. Winner Game 6, 8:15 a.m.

Third-place game - Loser Game 7 vs. Loser Game 8, 10 a.m.

Championship game - Winner Game 7 vs. Winner Game 8, 5 p.m. (at the Idaho Center, Nampa)

At Meridian High

Thursday, March 3

Game 1 - Kimberly (17-5) vs. Snake River (17-5), 12:15 p.m.

Game 2 - Priest River (17-5) vs. Fruitland (16-6), 2

Game 3 - Sugar-Salem (16-7) vs. St. Maries (18-5), 5:15

Game 4 - Marsh Valley vs. Weiser (19-4), 7

Friday, March 4

Game 5 - Loser Game 1 vs. Loser Game 2, 12:15 p.m. (loser out)

Game 6 - Loser Game 3 vs. Loser Game 4, 2 (loser out)

Game 7 - Winner Game 1 vs. Winner Game 2, 5:15 (semifinal)

Game 8 - Winner Game 3 vs. Winner Game 4, 7 (semifinal)

Saturday, March 5

Consolation championship - Winner Game 5 vs. Winner Game 6, 8:15 a.m.

Third-place game - Loser Game 7 vs. Loser Game 8, 10 a.m.

Championship game - Winner Game 7 vs. Winner Game 8, 2:50 p.m. (at the Idaho Center, Nampa)

At Capital High, Boise

Thursday, March 3

Game 1 - Soda Springs (18-3) vs. McCall-Donnelly (15-9), 12:15 p.m.

Game 2 - Valley (15-8) vs. Melba (15-6), 2

Game 3 - Kamiah (21-1) vs. West Side, 5:15

Game 4 - New Plymouth (17-3) vs. Firth (19-4), 7

Friday, March 4

Game 5 - Loser Game 1 vs. Loser Game 2, 12:15 p.m. (loser out)

Game 6 - Loser Game 3 vs. Loser Game 4, 2 (loser out)

Game 7 - Winner Game 1 vs. Winner Game 2, 5:15 (semifinal)

Game 8 - Winner Game 3 vs. Winner Game 4, 7 (semifinal)

Saturday, March 5

Consolation championship - Winner Game 5 vs. Winner Game 6, 8:15 a.m.

Third-place game - Loser Game 7 vs. Loser Game 8, 10 a.m.

Championship game - Winner Game 7 vs. Winner Game 8, 12:40 p.m. (at the Idaho Center, Nampa)

1A Division I

At Vallivue High, Caldwell

Thursday, March 3

Game 1 - Prairie (18-5) vs. Grace (17-7), 12:15 p.m.

Game 2 - Cascade (18-5) vs. Clearwater Valley (18-7), 2

Game 3 - Shoshone (19-4) vs. Wilder (18-3), 5:15

Game 4 - Genesee (18-5) vs. Notus (21-2), 7

Friday, March 4

Game 5 - Loser Game 1 vs. Loser Game 2, 12:15 p.m. (loser out)

Game 6 - Loser Game 3 vs. Loser Game 4, 2 (loser out)

Game 7 - Winner Game 1 vs. Winner Game 2, 5:15 (semifinal)

Game 8 - Winner Game 3 vs. Winner Game 4, 7 (semifinal)

Saturday, March 5

Consolation championship - Winner Game 5 vs. Winner Game 6, 8:15 a.m.

Third-place game - Loser Game 7 vs. Loser Game 8, 10 a.m.

Championship game - Winner Game 7 vs. Winner Game 8, 10:30 a.m. (at the Idaho Center, Nampa)

1A Division II

At Caldwell High

Thursday, March 3

Game 1 - Nezperce (14-8) vs. Castleford (18-2), 12:15 p.m.

Game 2 - Salmon River (16-6) vs. Rockland (16-2), 2

Game 3 - Carey (21-2) vs. Meadows Valley, 5:15

Game 4 - Kootenai (6-11) vs. Murtaugh (13-9), 7

Friday, March 4

Game 5 - Loser Game 1 vs. Loser Game 2, 12:15 p.m. (loser out)

Game 6 - Loser Game 3 vs. Loser Game 4, 2 (loser out)

Game 7 - Winner Game 1 vs. Winner Game 2, 5:15 (semifinal)

Game 8 - Winner Game 3 vs. Winner Game 4, 7 (semifinal)

Saturday, March 5

Consolation championship - Winner Game 5 vs. Winner Game 6, 8:15 a.m.

Third-place game - Loser Game 7 vs. Loser Game 8, 10 a.m.

Championship game - Winner Game 7 vs. Winner Game 8, 8:30 a.m. (at the Idaho Center, Nampa)