Positionless basketball is all the rage these days.

The Lake City High girls basketball team could probably play that way, to a degree.

But the Timberwolves also boast an old-fashioned inside-outside punch this season.

Junior Brooklyn Rewers, a 6-foot-4 post, is a double-double machine, and also averages five blocked shots per game.

Senior Aubrey Avery, a 5-7 guard, is shooting some 60 percent from 3-point range.

Avery returned to action last week after sitting out six weeks with a broken left wrist. The righty-shooting Avery helped lead Lake City to victories over Sandpoint and Coeur d’Alene.

“It definitely makes it harder for the other teams, to have Aubrey shooting the 3s or pushing it into me,” Rewers said. “It just leaves us both open and opens up opportunities for other people.”

“She can shoot probably better than any kid I’ve ever seen,” Anderson said of Avery. “It’s unbelievable to watch her in here shooting the ball.”

Anderson said Rewers is doing a better job this year playing defense without fouling, as teams try to take the ball at her in hopes of getting her into foul trouble.

“She’s done a good job of moving her feet and staying high this year,” Anderson said.

YOU NEVER want injuries, but in a way, the timing of Avery’s injury worked out for Lake City (10-5, 2-0 and leading the 5A Inland Empire League prior to Wednesday night’s game at Lewiston).

Some of the other T-Wolves had to pick up the scoring slack, including starters like sophomore point guard Kendall Pickford and junior guards Jaya Miller and Brenna Hawkins, along with reserves like senior guard Madi Chase and junior guard Ashlynn Shanley, who is also a pretty good 3-point shooter.

“I know my team had to play a lot of games without me, but I think it was good for them,” Avery said. “It taught a lot of other people, ‘Hey, we’re just as good, we can score too.’”

“For the six weeks that she was gone, it was a little difficult because everyone had to step up,” Rewers said. “But I think we’re adjusting well and getting back to it, and kind of letting her get back into her rhythm, letting her shoot all her 3s and stuff. And then we’re going to be a full-functioning team again, and now everyone has experience playing.”

Lake City holds a slight edge over Coeur d’Alene (12-4, 1-1) and Post Falls (9-6, 1-1) in league as league play nears the midway point. Lake City is the favorite to repeat as league and regional champions, but with two berths to state this year in 5A Region 1, one pretty good team might stay home.

MEANWHILE, IN the boys 5A IEL, Lake City is off to an 8-3 start (prior to Wednesday night’s home game vs. Moscow), which is five more victories than the Timberwolves recorded all of last season. Lake City is looking to qualify for state for the first time since 2014.

And that’s with three freshmen — point guard Kolton Mitchell and wings Zach Johnson and Varick Meredith — in the starting lineup. Longtime Lake City coach Jim Winger could only remember one other player starting for him as a freshman — Jack Kiesbuy, now a junior on the current team, who started a few games two seasons ago.

The freshmen are more than holding their own, and the returnees — including Kiesbuy, senior guard Seth Hanson, junior guard Ben Janke and junior wing Chris Irvin — are providing the experience.

“I know we’re young,” the much-improved Hanson said. “People keep saying we’re young, but they’re very good freshmen, and with us (upperclassmen) leading them, they’re going to be really good in the future. And this year, they’re doing great for us this year.”

“These guys are good,” Coeur d’Alene coach Tony Hanna said of Lake City after the T-Wolves won the Fight for the Fish spirit game 53-44 last week at Lake City. The game was also the league opener for both teams. “They’re young, but they do what they do well. I thought all their freshmen played with composure, considering the game and the crowd ... ”

League favorite Post Falls (12-3, 0-1) stumbled in its 5A IEL opener last Friday, losing 52-49 at Lewiston (9-2, 1-0) without junior point guard Cole Rutherford, who suffered an ankle injury in a win at Rogers last Wednesday.

Post Falls coach Mike McLean said Rutherford won’t play this week — the Trojans host Lake City on Friday, then host Lewis and Clark on Saturday in nonleague play. He didn’t know how long Rutherford would be out.

Post Falls plays at Coeur d’Alene (5-6) next Thursday.

“I think every game in this league this year is going to be a battle,” Hanna said. “I think Post Falls is still the favorite right now, but they’re beatable.”

Mark Nelke is sports editor of The Press. He can be reached at 664-8176, Ext. 2019, or via email at mnelke@cdapress.com. Follow him on Twitter@CdAPressSports.