SANDPOINT – After an 8-15 finish last year, and with losing seven seniors to graduation, there is a question mark surrounding what is to be expected of Bulldogs boys basketball this year. With a large, young, and motivated group this season, Sandpoint is looking to turn things around and get back to winning ways.

Head coach Brian Childs will man the team for the third straight year – his 26th season as a coach, 19th as a head coach. His son, Parker Childs, the team’s only senior, will lead the Bulldogs. Childs, an All-IEL selection and the team’s leading scorer last year, will play a major role in running the offense.

“It’s not just points-wise that we need him,” coach Childs said. “We need him leadership-wise and need him to help show our younger players the way … We’re going to ask a lot of him this year.”

Parker said he recognizes the weight that will be put on him this season and is ready for all that comes with it.

“I have been working hard to improve my game and have been working with a lot of my teammates this offseason,” he said. “We’re pretty young this year. I’m trying to help build our momentum so that we can go into this season, full force. We’re excited to win again.”

Coach Childs said despite the team’s youthfulness, he is hopeful about what’s to come, but realizes that patience is going to be important this season.

“Some have sarcastically called this year a ‘youth movement’ since we have so many young kids,” coach Childs said. “I’m really excited about all the young players we have. I like to think of it more as playing the long game – with only one senior, this year is going to really help our younger players develop. The key word that we use as a staff is patience – we just have to be patient with them.”

Two juniors who are expected to be key contributors this year are Emerick Jones and Wil Leisy. Jones, a forward, played big minutes for the Bulldogs last year, and will certainly get a lot more looks inside this season. Coach Childs said Leisy’s role will also increase and that he has really worked hard in the offseason in terms of strength and conditioning.

Sophomores Caiden Gion and Logan Roos will also have an impact on the Bulldogs success.

“We’re really excited about Caiden,” coach Childs said. “Watching him grow from last summer and to see where he is at now has been great. Logan has also had a great start to the season.”

Coach Childs mentioned two freshmen who may stand out this year, Derrick Chamberlin and Knox Williams. 

“Derrick Chamberlin is about 6-5, and is someone else we’re excited about,” coach Childs said. “With our freshman, we have to temper our expectations a little bit and not ask too much of them, but we are excited. Knox Williams is another freshmen who had an outstanding spring and summer for us – we’re trying to get him lots of experience so he can maybe be our point guard this year.”

This year the team is heading to Vancouver, Washington for their annual tournament. Coach Childs, who used to coach in Vancouver, said he was talking with some of the other teams’ coaches from the tournament, and they are thrilled to have a team from North Idaho this year.

“We’ll get three games in three days over there and will take the kids and do some things; it’s going to be a lot of fun all around,” coach Childs said.

As for the rest of the schedule, it’s business as usual for the Bulldogs. As Sandpoint eyes their first IEL district title in quite some time, Moscow and Lakeland are of course two teams that have an asterisk next to their name. This young Bulldog squad will show off what they are made of in two early non-conference games against some strong Greater Spokane League opponents.

SHS Boys Basketball Schedule

12/1 vs. West Valley 7 p.m.

12/2 @ East Valley 3 p.m.

12/5 @ Coeur d’Alene 7 p.m.

12/7 vs. Lake City 7 p.m.

12/11 vs. Priest River 7 p.m.

12/14 vs. Timberlake 7 p.m.

12/21 @ Kellogg 7 p.m.

12/27-12/29 @ Vancouver Tournament

1/5 vs. Lakeland 7 p.m.

1/10 vs. Bonners Ferry 7 p.m.

1/16 @ Moscow 7 p.m.

1/19 @ Lakeland 8 p.m.

1/23 @ Timberlake 7 p.m.

1/26 vs. Genesis Prep 7 p.m.

1/30 vs. Moscow 7 p.m.

2/3 @ Lewiston 7 p.m.

2/7 @ Post Falls 7 p.m.

2/9 @ Lake City 7 p.m.