PREP BASKETBALL: Sandpoint girls take down Bonners Ferry in season opener

MAX OSWALD | Hagadone News Network | UPDATED 1 year, 3 months AGO

Sandpoint freshman Brecken Mire sinks a deep two-point shot over Bonners Ferry's Brooke Petesch during the Bulldogs 66-47 win over the Badgers on Tuesday night.
Photo by Emily Bonsant/Bonners Ferry Herald

BONNERS FERRY — After leading by 14 points at the end of the first quarter, Sandpoint cruised to a 66-47 road victory over Bonners Ferry on Tuesday to start its season in the win column.

“It’s a great win for our first game of the season against a Bonners Ferry team who I believe is really going to improve over the course of this year,” head coach Will Love said.

In the first, Sandpoint’s defense was all over the Badgers. With around three minutes left in the quarter, Aliya Strock had two steals on back-to-back possessions for the Bulldogs. One of those turnovers resulted in a two-point jump shot by Brecken Mire, assisted by Strock; the other one Strock converted a coast-to-coast layup to put the Bulldogs ahead 22-9. From there, the Bulldogs ran away with the game, leading the Badgers 43-25 at the half.

In addition to Strock’s team-high 19 points and six rebounds, Karlie Banks scored 18 points of her own and hauled in five rebounds. In their freshman debuts, Mire scored 10 points and Jordyn Tomco had seven points for the Bulldogs. Junior Chloe Laybourne had six points, three assists, and a team-high 11 rebounds.

“There were some great things, some good things, and some things that we need to work on,” Love said. “I’m proud of the team for really coming out in the first half and playing hard the entire night.”

For Bonners Ferry, Sydney Hinthorn led the way with 17 points. Despite being heavily contested in the paint, Asha Abubakari finished with 15 points for the Badgers. Freshman Taren Bateman had 11 points in her varsity debut. The Badgers also had 17 offensive rebounds on the night, something Love said the Bulldogs will need to work on going forward.

“Defensively, I was pleased with holding (Bonners Ferry) freshman Taren Bateman to just 11 points; she is a heck of a player,” Love said. “Credit to Brecken for a job well done on defense.”

Sandpoint (1-0) will be back in action at home on Thursday, Nov. 30 against Timberlake.

Sandpoint 26 17 13 10 – 66

Bonners Ferry 12 13 9 13 – 47

PTS: SPT – Strock 19, Banks 18, Mire 10, Tomco 7, Laybourne 6, Richardson 3, Driggs 3. BF – Hinthorn 17, Abubakari 15, Bateman 11, Pluid 3, Petesch 1.