NAMPA - Lake City plays man-to-man defense an estimated 80 percent of the time.

But it was the other 20 percent that saved the Timberwolves on Thursday afternoon.

Lake City switched to a zone defense in the second half, battled back from a 10-point first-half deficit, and Justin Pratt hit a huge 3-pointer with 34 seconds left as Lake City beat Skyline of Idaho Falls 55-52 in the first round of the state 5A boys basketball tournament at the Ford Idaho Center.

Skyline made five 3-pointers in the first half, four in the second quarter, and three times led by 10 points before settling for a 31-24 halftime lead.

"I thought we did a pretty good job on them that first quarter, and they really caught fire that second quarter," Lake City coach Jim Winger said. "We figured we'd better try something different, and we've been playing some pretty good zone this year. We just tried to extend our 2-3 out ... and just extend out on shooters and make them beat us in the middle with Kyle (Guice, standing 6-foot-6). And for the most part, it worked pretty good. I thought our zone was the key."

Lake City (18-5), which won its first game at state since a victory over Highland of Pocatello in the 2002 semifinals, will play top-ranked Capital (24-0) in the semifinals tonight at 5:15 p.m. Capital defeated Timberline (13-11) of Boise 66-56.

What the zone did is limit Skyline's penetration, and somehow Lake City became more active, getting deflections and steals.

Still, the defensive switch might have been for naught if not for Pratt, whose 3 at the end of a crazy sequence put Lake City up 55-52.

"I did not want to go home; I did not want to lose that first game," Pratt said. "I shot it with confidence and it went in."

Skyline (19-7) had the ball with 1:30 left and a two-point lead. The Grizzlies missed two shots and Lake City rebounded. The Timberwolves missed three shots, but gathered two offensive rebounds, the second by Jacob Dahl, who fed Pratt just left of the top of the circle. Pratt stepped into a 23-footer and swished it.

"I don't usually shoot those, I usually pass to JJ (Winger) or Kyle for that," said Pratt, Lake City's point guard. "It's a huge confidence builder."

So why shoot it?

"I don't know," Pratt said with a laugh. "I just got that urge; as a player, you sometimes get that feeling that when you shoot it, it's going to go in."

Chuckie Adams hit two free throws with 18.2 seconds left to make it 55-52. Skyline tried to run a play to set up a 3-pointer, but couldn't get a good look, and Tyson Baker was fouled on the floor with just 2.8 seconds left. He missed the front end of a one-and-one, Guice skied for the rebound, and that was pretty much the game.

Guice finished with 13 points and eight rebounds. Jake Vetsch, whose play sparked Lake City to a quick 6-0 lead, finished with 11 points. Dahl hit 3 of 5 3-pointers and had nine points and six rebounds off the bench. Adams had eight points and six rebounds, and Pratt had six points and seven assists.

"The first half we had jitters," Pratt said. "We just want it so bad, I think the jitters got to us that first half. The second half we had confidence; we came out and just played our game. (The zone) got all of our guys moving, gave ourselves an edge."

After Lake City took that 6-0 lead, the T-Wolves nearly seven minutes before their next basket. Lake City also went 6 of 12 from the free throw line in the half, including missing the front end of three one-and-ones.

But Lake City hit three 3-pointers in the third quarter, and looked like a totally different team.

"We finally loosened up on offense; typical first game of a state tournament - bad shots, rushed shots in the first half. I thought we moved the ball, reversed the ball a lot better (in the second half). We just shot it better; we were more relaxed, and showed some pretty good mental toughness down the stretch.

"It was a good win. Coaches call it 'Survival Day' - the first game is survival day, and we survived."

Skyline, at state for the first time in 14 years, got all its scoring from four players.

Tyson Baker had 16 points, including two 3-pointers. Jai Jai Ely added 14 points and seven rebounds, and his 3-point play with 2:04 remaining put Skyline up 2:04. It was also the Grizzlies' last points of the game.

Zak Bennett hit two 3s and scored 12 points, and Brayden Burnside made two 3s and scored 10 points, to go with seven rebounds.

Skyline made 5 of 11 3s in the first half, but just 2 of 9 in the second half.

"I just think we needed one more basket," Skyline interim coach Clint Cornish said. "I was anticipating the zone ... I thought we got some great looks out of it, we just didn't hit 'em. Their one kid (Dahl) battled and he averages 3 a game and he had nine, I think, so he was definitely the difference-maker for them on offense. If he doesn't hit those shots, it's a lot different game. But hey, that's the way it is. We could have extended our lead, and we didn't."

Skyline 9 22 10 11 - 52

Lake City 10 14 18 13 - 55

SKYLINE - T. Baker 16, Bennett 12, Campbell 0, Burnside 10, Layland 0, Kuln 0, M. Baker 0, Guza 0, Ely 14. Totals 16-47 13-16 52.

LAKE CITY - Adams 8, Pratt 6, Louie-McGee 3, Vetsch 11, Guice 13, Turner 0, Dahl 9, Winger 5, Mitchell 0, Hancock 0. Totals 19-50 9-17 55.