Kreager drills shot in final seconds to give Priest River its first victory
Bonner County Daily Bee | UPDATED 4 years, 10 months AGO
Senior Trentyn Kreager fights through contact as he looks for a basket during the season opener against St. Maries on Nov. 30 at PRLHS. Kreager hit the game-winner Tuesday to give the Spartans their first win of the season.
(Photo courtesy of JASON DUCHOW PHOTOGRAPHY)
PRIEST RIVER — Priest River boys basketball earned its first victory of the season in dramatic fashion Tuesday night at PRLHS.
With six seconds left and trailing 56-55, first-year head coach Jaden Barrett called a timeout to set up a potential game-winning shot.
Trentyn Kreager's number was called and the senior stepped up and hit a floater with about two seconds left to give the Spartans a 57-56 victory over the Riverside Rams.
It was Barrett's first win as head coach.
"Before the game I had a one-on-one talk with Trentyn, Barrett said, "and I said, 'You got me tonight, I need my first W,' and he said, 'I got you coach,' ... and right before I drew that play up for Trentyn at the end of the game I just repeated it to him and said, 'You got me still,' and he said, 'Yes, give me the ball, I got you.'"
Kreager tore up the court in the second half, scoring 20 of his 26 points in the final 16 minutes of play.
"He went crazy in the second half," Barrett said.
The Spartans trailed 35-24 at the half due in large part to the Rams knocking down seven 3-pointers. But Priest River picked it up in the second half and put the clamps on former Spartan Jordan Nortz, who had 10 points in the first quarter.
"All-in-all just a great team effort tonight," Barrett said.
Blake Barrett and Jace Yount each scored 9 points, Luke Butler had 7 and Travis Mathews added 4.
Barrett also said Teigan Marinello had an outstanding game defensively and Nadin Thompson gave the Spartans some solid minutes off the bench.
"He caused a couple turnovers at the end of the game that were huge," he said about Marinello.
Priest River (1-1) hosts Newport at 3:30 p.m. Saturday and Lakeland at 7 p.m. next Tuesday,
Riverside 22 13 10 11 — 56
Priest River 18 6 16 17 — 57
RIVERSIDE — Graham 8, Nortz 11, Gaffaney 9, Ackerman 6, Supanchick 3, Lyons 12, Schneider 6, Schumacher 2.
PRIEST RIVER — Mathews 4, Butler 7, Kreager 26, Marinello 0, Engelson 0, Barrett 9, Thompson 0, Yount 9.