COEUR d'ALENE - After watching the Coeur d'Alene Vikings run up and down the floor in a 66-point effort in their previous game, the Lake City Timberwolves knew they couldn't let that happen Tuesday night in the 5A Inland Empire League boys basketball opener for both schools.

Using a 1-3-1 and a 2-3 zone, Lake City (5-2) slowed down Coeur d'Alene (4-1) and the T-Wolves found enough offense themselves to knock off the host Vikings 44-40 before an estimated 1,200 fans at Elmer Jordan Court.

"We had to control the tempo ... and we had to control it defensively," Lake City coach Jim Winger said. "I thought the zone slowed them down, and made them be patient. Watching them Saturday, I just thought, that was our one and only goal - to make them think and make them slow down."

In the girls game, Coeur d'Alene (8-3, 1-1 5A IEL) forced 24 turnovers and held Lake City (6-5, 0-2) to six baskets in a 49-17 victory.

* BOYS

Lake City 44, Coeur d'Alene 40: Other than giving up way too many offensive rebounds, Lake City's zone did its job, holding the Vikings to 17-of-58 shooting.

Coeur d’Alene came in averaging 66.5 points per game.

“I thought we lost it on the offensive end,” Coeur d’Alene coach Kent Leiss said. “We gave the ball away, it seemed like every other possession in the second half. I thought we had four critical turnovers in the fourth quarter that hurt us. I thought their zone had a lot to do with it (the low offensive output); we seemed real tentative.”

Coeur d’Alene actually only finished with 13 turnovers, to 14 for Lake City.

Junior point guard Justin Pratt scored 11 of his 13 points in the first half for Lake City, mostly on drives to the basket.

“Everyone was a little nervous for the first three quarters, and the fourth quarter was just our time,” Pratt said. “A lot of kids are new (to playing in a rivalry game on the road).”

“I was pretty happy with Justin,” Winger said. “I’m pretty hard on him; we’ve had some great point guards at Lake City High School from Day 1, and I have high expectations. Sometimes maybe I’m a little too hard on him; I thought he played well.”

Lake City led by as many as nine points in the first half, and was up 22-18 at halftime. Coeur d’Alene took a 29-26 lead midway through the third quarter on a steal and score by junior point guard Austin Paulsen, who led the Vikings with 10 points.

But Kyle Guice scored all seven of his points as Lake City went on a 14-3 run over the next 8 minutes to take a 40-32 lead. The T-Wolves seemed in control, but Paulsen and Colby Daniels sank 3-pointers to pull the Vikings within 40-38 with 1:22 left.

Two free throws by Lake City’s Riley Moreen made it 42-38, but Devon Kluss’ rebound basket cut it to two with a half-minute left.

Lake City worked the clock down, and Coeur d’Alene fouled reserve Chuck Adams with 12.7 seconds left. The junior sank both free throws to pretty much ice the game.

“I was really proud of him,” Winger said. “First year on varsity, and first league game on the road at your rival, and hits nothing but net on his free throws. I thought that was big for him; he’s really coming along well.”

Guice had nine rebounds and three blocked shots, and Moreen had six boards and a couple blocks. Lake City, which started three juniors and two seniors, shot 15 of 43 from the field, 13 of 18 from the line.

Coeur d’Alene, which started two sophomores, two juniors and a senior, shot just four free throws, making two.

Coeur d’Alene plays host to Flathead of Kalispell, Mont., on Thursday. Lake City is home vs. Glacier of Kalispell on Friday.

Lake City 12 10 8 14 — 44

Coeur d’Alene 7 11 11 11 — 40

LAKE CITY — Adams 6, Pratt 13, Hocking 0, Guice 7, Louie-McGee 2, Moreen 11, Dahl 2, Winger 3.

COEUR d’ALENE — Paulsen 10, Walde 0, Tripp 2, Daniels 7, Carpenter 1, Naccarato 7, Moore 0, Hancock 2, Kluss 7, Hunter 4.

• GIRLS

Coeur d’Alene 49, Lake City 17: The game was off to a sluggish start before juniors Brittany Tackett and Sara Chalich came off the bench and checked into the game.

Their aggressive defense fueled a 15-0 run that stretched into the second quarter, putting the Vikings up 17-6.

“That’s the one thing that Tackett brings to the game — she’s so quick, she’s so light. It’s like watching a gazelle run,” Coeur d’Alene coach Dale Poffenroth said. “And Chalich has worked herself into that position too — she’s really aggressive, and makes a lot of good things happen. So it’s a good changeup.”

Lake City kept it fairly close for a while with a zone defense, and Coeur d’Alene shot just 17 of 46 from the field, including 4 of 15 from 3-point range. But the Vikings pulled away with defense, holding the T-Wolves to seven second-half points — none in the fourth quarter which included a running clock for the final 5 minutes.

“Sometimes your defense has to determine your offense,” Poffenroth said. “We weren’t making a lot of shots, and he (Lake City coach Bryan Kelly) was taking the air out of the ball.”

Caelyn Orlandi had 14 points, eight rebounds, five assists and two steals for Coeur d’Alene. Sydney Williams and Kendalyn Brainard added 10 points each.

Hailey Jackson scored nine points for Lake City, which had just three players score.

On Friday, Coeur d’Alene plays host to Highland of Pocatello, and Lake City is home vs. Glacier.

Lake City 6 4 7 0 — 17

Coeur d’Alene 15 8 18 8 — 49

LAKE CITY — Jackson 9, D. Wilson 0, J. Wilson 0, Gewecke 0, Wheelock 0, Farrell 6, Torres 0, Hawkes 2.

COEUR d’ALENE — Parker 6, Sumner 0, Chalich 3, Orlandi 14, Tackett 3, Brainard 10, Wellsandt 3, Williams 10.