Whether it is redemption, the realization that this is their last shot - or neither of the above - the Lake City Timberwolves are looking to do better than their two-and-out showing at last year's state 5A boys basketball tournament.

The same could be said for the Post Falls Trojans, who were also on the bus for home after two days last year.

Both are back at state this year, beginning today at the Idaho Center in Nampa. Lake City (17-5) opens the tourney against District 5-6 runner-up Skyline (19-6) of Idaho Falls at 12:15 p.m. PST. Skyline is making its first trip to state in 14 years.

Post Falls (15-8) plays in the final game of the day, vs. District 3 runner-up Rocky Mountain (17-6) at 7.

Last year, in the same time slot, Lake City came out flat and got blitzed by Rocky Mountain, 61-33. The following afternoon, the Timberwolves played better, but still bowed out early following a 54-46 loss to Capital of Boise.

"It was a big wakeup call for a lot of us - to work harder in the summer," Lake City senior wing JJ Winger said. "I think we've learned a lot, and are ready now."

Winger, forward Kyle Guice and point guard Justin Pratt all started as juniors on last year's team.

"It was our junior year and it was like, 'we'll have another year,'" Pratt said. "It's a lot different (game) in Boise; they were a lot more physical than we thought."

"Last year is last year, but there's no doubt - we have something to prove," Lake City coach Jim Winger said. "That was not us last year, but we're not going to dwell on it. Kids ... don't remember last week, but the message is, we have something to prove. We're a good basketball team; we have to go down and play."

Rocky Mountain went on to finish second last year, losing to Borah of Boise in the title game. Capital won the consolation title. Capital (23-0) beat Rocky by one point in this year's District 3 title game.

Two areas of concern from last week's regional title victory over Coeur d'Alene - rebounding, and being more aggressive against the press - will likely need to improve this week for Lake City to make a run at a trophy.

"We have a lot of guys back and they (Capital) have a lot of guys back," Winger said. "And we hung with them playing very poorly. And, I think if we play, we'll be fine, and I think we will play."

5A: Last year, Post Falls lost 44-34 to Mountain View of Meridian, and 56-49 to Madison of Rexburg. Neither of those teams are in this year's field.

Last year's Trojans struggled to score, but this year's squad hasn't had that problem. They've been especially deadly from 3-point range - draining eight 3-pointers in last Saturday's state-qualifying victory at Coeur d'Alene.

Senior post Corey Koski, senior guard Braden Davenport and junior guard Dalton Thompson are returning starters from last year's Post Falls team.

Rocky is back at state for the second straight year under third-year coach Dane Roy, son of legendary Treasure Valley girls basketball coach Emery Roy, who also coaches at Rocky.

Post Falls, meanwhile, is making its sixth straight trip to state, all under coach Mike McLean, in his seventh season coaching is alma mater.

"They've got things rolling down there," McLean said of Rocky Mountain. "To get to the state tournament, the pressure's off of us, we've already made it to state. Now it's our time to execute. We're going to go down there and do the same things as we did (against Coeur d'Alene). We're going to figure out what Rocky Mountain likes to do and take away their first and maybe their second option. We're going to see what we can exploit with what our talents are and go right for them that way."

Capital went undefeated in the regular season for the first time since 1977-78 - when the Eagles won their last state title, and fourth straight.

Borah, the two-time defending state champions, played without star point guard and Utah signee Isaiah Wright for 10 games with a broken wrist. He came back Jan. 31, and the Lions earned District 3s third seed to state.

If Lake City wins, it will likely play Capital in the semifinals. If Post Falls wins, the Trojans will play the Borah-Highland winner in the semis.

4A: Moscow (9-11), the Region 1 champ for the fifth straight year, opens vs. Century (14-10) of Pocatello today at 5:15 p.m. at Borah High in Boise. The Bears lost to Rigby in last year's title game. Rigby did not qualify this year.

Bonneville (20-2) of Idaho Falls lost its first two games at a tournament in Illinois, and hasn't lost since. Forward Jared Stutzman (22.3 points, 8.6 rebounds and 48 3-pointers) has signed with the University of San Francisco.

3A: Kellogg is at state for the second time in three years under Jeff Lambert, in his fourth year coaching the Wildcat boys. Kellogg has not won a game at state since 2005, when the Wildcats won the consolation title.

Kellogg (13-7), the District 1 champ, opens vs. District 3 runnerup Parma (11-12) today at 2 p.m. PST at Meridian High. Trevor Nielsen is a 6-foot-10 senior post for the Panthers, who are at state for the first time since 2006, when they were in 2A.

Defending champion Snake River (19-3) opens vs. Filer (15-10, which defeated Bonners Ferry in a state play-in game last weekend. All four trophy winners from last year -- Shelley (runner-up), Filer (third) and Sugar-Salem (consolation champ) -- are in this year's field.

Kellogg will play either Sugar-Salem (16-7) or top-ranked Buhl (22-1) in the next round.

2A: Grangeville (19-4), which beat St. Maries for the District 1-2 title, is the defending champ.

1A Division I: Butte County (22-1) the defending champ, is led by forward Leighton Vander Esch, who was selected to play in the Idaho all-star basketball game March 15 at North Idaho College. Genesee (17-7) beat Lakeside in a state play-in game. Prairie (22-1) is among the tourney favorites.

1A Division II: Salmon River (20-2) is the defending champion. Summit Academy (15-6) defeated Kootenai in a state play-in game.