Bulldogs show some grit in loss to Bengals
Bonner County Daily Bee | UPDATED 7 years AGO
(Photo by ERIC PLUMMER) Senior Damian Dalthorp glides to the hoop for an off-hand finger roll, one of three pretty finishes in the first half after getting to the rim.
(Photo by ERIC PLUMMER) Junior Bruin Jones saves the ball on the baseline in the Bulldogs’ one-point loss to the Bengals Monday.
SANDPOINT — The Bulldogs played their best game of the season on Martin Luther King Day, going toe-to-toe wit the 5A Bengals from start to finish in a 47-46 loss Monday in nonleague boys basketball Monday night at Les Rogers Court.
Robbie Johnson led the Bulldogs (6-7) with 19 points and five 3-pointers, including two pull-up jumpers from beyond the arc in the final 20 seconds to nearly pull off the upset. He also set a tone with some strong defense, as the Bulldogs’ team defense was a bright spot in defeat.
Sandpoint came out with some bounce early, with Alex Stockton threading a pretty behind-the-back pass to Brandon Casey for an early bucket. Casey finished with seven points, and played some strong interior defense on 6-foot-5 bruising post Kyle Van Boeyen, holding him to eight points and blocking a pair of shots in the process.
Damian Dalthorp was able to get some dribble penetration in the second quarter, finishing three drives down the lane to help the Bulldogs trail just 24-20 at half.
Johnson started the third quarter with a pair of 3-pointers, and Bruin Jones hit the second of his two 3-pointers in the third quarter, as the Bulldogs slowed the pace offensively and cut the lead to just one heading in to the final frame.
Casey scored five fourth quarter points, including a 3-point play, and Dalthorp hit a 3-pointer as the game remained tight late in the fourth quarter. A foul on the in-bounds helped Lewiston surge ahead 45-41 with 30 seconds left. Johnson’s second pull-up 3 in transition cut the lead to one with three seconds left, but the Bengals didn’t need to inbound.
“We played four quarters, with no let downs,” said Bulldog assistant coach Mike Roos. “Robbie played about as good as he can play.”
Santana Donaven scored 18 points to lead the Bengals (6-8) in the loss.
Sandpoint hosts Lakeland on Friday in the nightcap of the Battle for the Paddle spirit competition, with tip-off slated for 8 p.m.
Lewiston 11 13 7 16 — 47
Sandpoint 10 10 10 16 — 46
LEWISTON — McKenzie 7, Chapman 3, Grainger 3, Wilson 8, Santana 18, Van Boeyen 8.
SANDPOINT — Dalthorp 10, Niemela 0, Ortega 0, Jones 6, Johnson 19, VanDenBerg 0, Pettit 0, Casey 7, Stockton 4.
