GRANGEVILLE — With an almost entirely new team this year, the Lake City Timberwolves are headed back to state.

Junior Reese Strawn had 26 points and five assists and hit a clutch 3-pointer late, and the Timberwolves built a 17-point lead in the first half before holding off the Centennial Patriots of Boise 69-63 in a state 5A play-in game Saturday at Grangeville High.

“Just an unbelievable performance by him,” first-year Lake City coach James Anderson said of Strawn. “His first half was one of the best first halves I’ve ever seen somebody play, and then that 3 he hit was an unbelievable shot. It’s something he’s proved he could do all year; he’s a special player.”

Lake City (16-9), last year’s state champions, advance to state at the Ford Idaho Center in Nampa beginning Thursday. The T-Wolves will likely learn their first-round opponent today, when the final MaxPreps rankings, which are used to seed the six state tournaments, are released and the state brackets posted by the Idaho High School Activities Association.

Sophomore Josh Watson added 20 points and 13 rebounds for Lake City, and junior Cason Miller had six steals.

Lake City trailed early, then closed the first quarter with a 10-0 run to lead 22-15. The T-Wolves built a 43-26 lead late in the second quarter, and led by 14 at the half.

Centennial (16-10) chipped away throughout the second half, cutting Lake City’s lead to seven after three quarters, then pulling to within 63-61 on Gabe Eddins’ three-point play with a minute and a half left.

Centennial missed a 3-pointer for the lead, and Strawn sank a 3 from the top of the key with 30 seconds left to boost Lake City’s lead to 66-61.

The Patriots answered with a layup, but Strawn sank 3 of 4 free throws in the final 19 seconds to seal the win.

“Obviously, it was a little nerve-wracking,” Anderson said of the second half. “We were getting opportunities to get behind their press and get good shots, and we didn’t convert on a couple of those, and we had a few miscues and turnovers  … probably a little bit of nerves and other things. First game we’ve played like that, trying to close it out in that kind of environment.”

Junior Chase Tibbets hit four 3s and led Centennial with 16 points. Junior Payton Knudson added 13 for the Patriots, who hit 10 from deep.

Centennial    15    16    19    13    —    63

Lake City    22    23    12    12    —    69

CENTENNIAL — Johnson 10, Eddins 12, Knudson 13, Welch 0, Schafer 0, Tibbets 16, Seme 3, Phillips 9.

LAKE CITY — Winey 3, Strawn 26, Miller 5, Watson 20, Kloos 2, Arrieta 3, Carlson 10. 

Lakeside 92

Riverstone 46

GRANGEVILLE — The defending state 1A Division I champion Knights, required to go the play-in game route this year, blew the game open in the third quarter against the Otters from Boise in a state play-in game at Grangeville High.

Sophomore Tyson Charley scored 28 points and senior Liam Hendrickx added 24 for Lakeside (15-3), which advances to state beginning Thursday at Vallivue High in Caldwell.

Hendrickx hit four 3-pointers, and senior Brutis SiJohn had 12 points for Lakeside, which outscored Riverstone 30-8 in the third quarter to expand its lead to 69-36.

Senior Jason Koval led Riverstone (16-8) with 14 points.

Riverstone    11    17    8    10    —    46

Lakeside    22    17    30    23    —    92

RIVERSTONE — Bava 2, Sangha 0, Koval 14, Peterson 0, Ness 4, Ebbers 6, Scripps 0, Wu 5, Avery 6, Brooks 9.

LAKESIDE — Peone 9, SiJohn 12, Callahan 2, Hendrickx 24, Nomee 0, Hall 8, Jones 0, Spotted Horse 0, Kee 9, Charley 28.

Clark Fork 60

North Gem 37

CASCADE — Chase Sanroman scored 15 points, all in the second half, and twin brother Cole Sanroman dished out 11 assists as the Wampus Cats rolled past the Cowboys in a 1A Division II state play-in game at Cascade High.

Evrett Montgomery hit four 3-pointers and scored 18 points for Clark Fork (13-6), which advances to state beginning Thursday at Caldwell High. The Wampus Cats are headed to state for the second straight year, and third time in four years.

“These kids man, I hugged every single one of them,” Clark Fork coach Heath Beason said. “We controlled the boards, moved the ball quickly, and our backside help was phenomenal. They worked hard to earn this one. I can’t say enough about this team.”

Beason also had praise for the defense of Montgomery, who held North Gem’s (17-9) top scoring threat Evan O’Brien to four points.

Chase Sanroman and Owen Howard each pulled down nine rebounds for the Wampus Cats; Owen Howard also added three blocks. Ethan Howard had 12 points and eight rebounds.

North Gem     9     12     11     5    —    37

Clark Fork     11     19     12     18    —    60

NORTH GEM —  Setser 11, O’Brien 11, Hayden 7, Jenkins 3, Langrus 3, Hatch 2, Perry 0.

CLARK FORK — Montgomery 18, Ch. Sanroman 15, E. Howard 12, Co. Sanroman 8, O. Howard 4, S. Caven 3, Christofferson 0, Cruz 0.