STATE BOYS BASKETBALL: Bonners Ferry moves into first title game in program history

MERIDIAN — Top-seeded Bonners Ferry, on the heels of 21 points from sophomore Asher Williams, advanced to the program’s first state title game, beating the fourth-seeded Snake River Panthers 55-54 in the state 3A semifinals on Friday at Meridian High.

Bonners Ferry (23-1) will face Sugar-Salem (22-2) in the title game today at 2:50 p.m. PST at the Ford Idaho Center in Nampa.

Senior Ridge Williams had 12 points and six rebounds for Bonners Ferry.

Luke Higginson scored 29 points for Snake River (18-7), which faces Teton (22-7) for third today.

Snake River 7 8 19 20 — 54

Bonners Ferry 8 9 18 20 — 55

SNAKE RIVER — Jones 0, Morrell 3, Higginson 29, Parris 0, Orr 0, Kesler 6, Ibarra 0, Coombs 14, Wray 5. Totals 19-40 11-18 54.

BONNERS FERRY — R. Williams 12, E. Blackmore 0, Rice 0, Henslee 2, Petesch 8, A. Williams 21, Th. Bateman 0, Tr. Bateman 7, Br. Blackmore 5. Totals 20-44 11-12 55.

Bear Lake 53

Kellogg 48

BOISE — Senior wing Kolby Luna had 17 points and three rebounds for the sixth-seeded Wildcats, whose upset bid fell short of the second-seeded Bears in a state 2A semifinal game at Capital High.

Kellogg had a 3-point attempt pop out that could have given them a two-point advantage. Bear Lake closed out the game from the foul line on shots by Tyler Beresford, who finished with 11 points.

Senior Riply Luna scored seven for Kellogg (19-8).

“Bear Lake gave us some fits for some stretches,” Kellogg coach Mike Martin said. “They did a good job of taking Riply away and we just didn’t make quite enough plays down the stretch.”

Kellogg, shooting for its first appearance in the state title game since 1981, faces St. Maries in the third-place game today at 11 a.m.

Keaton Carlsen scored 14 for Bear Lake (24-2), which faces Melba (25-0) in the state title game today at the Ford Idaho Center.

“Bear Lake made some shots down the stretch,” Martin said. “But I’m so proud of my guys for how they fought and competed today.”

Kellogg 15 9 9 15 — 48

Bear Lake 11 12 12 18 — 53

KELLOGG Miller 3, Whatcott 6, R. Luna 7, K. Luna 17, McLean 7, Maciosek 4, O’Neill 0, Hendrix 4. Totals 15-37 11-14 48.

BEAR LAKE — Beresford 11, Shaul 2, Neal 3, Lloyd 7, Crane 12, Carlsen 14, Wallentine 4. Totals 20-35 10-13 53.

Twin Falls 40

Lakeland 38

MERIDIAN — Senior Scotty Hocking converted on a three-point play with 52 seconds remaining for the eighth-seeded Hawks, who fell short to the fifth-seeded Bruins in a state 4A loser-out game at Rocky Mountain High.

Lakeland, which trailed 38-30, scored seven straight to close the gap, but Twin Falls guard Logan Pittard hit a free-throw with 42 seconds remaining. The Hawks were unable to get off a tying shot in the final seconds.

Lakeland finished 6-18.

Twin Falls (16-10) faces Minico (16-10) in the consolation championship game today.

Lakeland 11 7 11 9 — 38

Twin Falls 8 6 11 15 — 40

LAKELAND — Nowell 2, Cameron 3, Ferguson 6, Ryan 8, Tebbe 0, Loutzenhiser 2, Hocking 17. Totals 14-42 5-9 38.

TWIN FALLS — Mix 0, Preucil 13, Coats 4, Plew 0, Swensen 6, Tackett 0, Jones 0, Parker 0, Stokes 0, Thompson 0, Pittard 16. Totals 17-42 4-12 40.

Council 71

Clark Fork 43

CALDWELL — The eighth-seeded Wampus Cats bowed out in two games at state, falling to the fifth-seeded Lumberjacks in a loser-out game in the state 1A Division II tournament at Caldwell High.

Junior Chase Sanroman scored 20 points for Clark Fork, which finished 13-10 after winning the 1A Division II District 1 title.

Porter McLinn had 30 points and 10 rebounds for Council (19-6), which faces Cascade (17-8) in the consolation championship game today.

Clark Fork 10 15 12 7 — 44

Council 23 13 19 16 — 71

CLARK FORK — Ch. Sanroman 20, Co. Sanroman 18, Howard 3, Bailey 0, Mintken 0, Montgomery 3, Caven 3, Shelton 7. Totals 16-60 3-8 44.

COUNCIL — Goodwin 2, McLinn 30, Laine 6, Bingham 0, Glenn 18, Gipe 6, D. McLinn 4, Zienlinksi 3, Wy. Vining 0, Wa. Vining 0, Thomas 2 Mendenhall 0. Totals 31-53 5-9 71.