MIDDLETON - After getting out to a slow start in Saturday's third-place game in the state 3A girls basketball tournament, the Priest River Spartans had to gamble.

Unfortunately, the Snake River Panthers were holding all the cards in a 50-28 victory Saturday morning at Middleton High.

Maddie Plister scored 12 of her 14 points in the first quarter for Snake River, which shot 9 of 15 in the first half to take a 23-13 halftime lead.

Priest River pulled within 31-24 after three, but was outscored 19-4 in the final quarter.

"We just had to gamble," Priest River coach Gary Stewart said. "When we did that, we started to give up a lot of easy baskets."

Brylie Bair scored a game-high 15 points for Snake River (19-6), which lost in double-overtime to Timberlake in the semifinals on Friday night.

Junior Steffie Pavey, the MVP of the Intermountain League, had seven points and seven rebounds in 32 minutes for Priest River, which finished 17-7.

"We had a good season," Pavey said. "We pulled out our first game down here (beating Fruitland 50-48 in double overtime) and then blew the next two games. Next year, we're going to be a team to watch out for. We've got a good solid team coming back."

"I'm very proud of the girls," Stewart said. "We exceeded our expectations by going unbeaten in league. You can't have a day off at the state tournament. Both Marsh Valley (which beat Priest River 54-34 in the semis on Friday) and Snake River were tough teams."

Priest River 8 5 11 4 - 28

Snake River 17 6 8 19 - 50

PRIEST RIVER - Weimer 6, Trost 7, Pavey 6, Endicott 0, Douglas 0, Bradbury 3, Doolittle 2, Halcro 4, Fink 0. Totals 13-41 1-2 28.

SNAKE RIVER - Christensen 2, Pilster 14, Martin 6, Shelley 7, Baldwin 0, Albertson 0, Harper 6, Bair 15. Totals 18-35 9-16 50.