Bonners Ferry 81, Kimberly 62

EAGLE — Senior Asher Williams scored a game-high 31 points on a 13-for-16 performance from the field as the No. 1 Badgers downed No. 8 Kimberly for the second straight year in the first round of the 4A State Championship tournament held Thursday at Eagle High.

The Bulldogs, led by German exchange student Gerwin Jeschke's three 3-pointers and 17 total points, gave Bonners Ferry some trouble early on, but the interior offense and unselfish play by coach Nathan Williams' team was too much for Kimberly to overcome. Last year, in the same exact opening round matchup as the second and seventh seeds, the Badgers took a 61-50 win. 

Senior Thomas Bateman added 16 points, including two 3-pointers, and hauled in nine rebounds, senior Brody Rice had 12 points and dished out seven assists as the Badgers used a 26-9 second quarter scoring advantage to take a 48-29 lead heading into intermission. Williams added six assists and a team-high three steals in the all-around team effort. Bonners Ferry shot 60.3% from the floor as a team, assisted on 23 of their 35 made baskets, and outrebounded Kimberly 29-17.

Junior Sulay Abubakari collected 12 points, sophomore Peyton Hinthorn eight points and seven rebounds, and the two both gave the Badgers a much-needed spark in the first half.

Bonners Ferry (22-1) will play No. 5 Marsh Valley (14-11), which beat No. 4 Cole Valley Christian 58-52 on Thursday, in the 4A state semifinals today at 6 p.m. (PST) at Eagle High. The Badgers faced the Eagles in the semifinals last year and came away with a 64-57 victory.

Kimberly 20 9 15 18 — 62

Bonners Ferry 22 26 19 14 — 81

PTS: BF — Williams 31, Bateman 16, Abubakari 12, Rice 12, Hinthorn 8, Blackmore 2. KIM — Jeschke 17, Q. Pettingill 16, Larson 10, Anthony 8, Beckstead 4, Bruning 3, Lloyd 2, Paz 2.

REB: BF — Bateman 9, Hinthorn 7, Williams 5, Abubakari 4, Schrock 2, Rice 1, Hiatt 1. KIM — Larson 5, Bruning 4, Anthony 3, Beckstead 1, Q. Pettingill 1, D. Pettingill 1, Paz 1, Lloyd 1.

AST: BF — Rice 7, Williams 6, Bateman 3, Abubakari 3, Blackmore 2, Schrock 1, Cartwright 1. KIM — Larson 3, Q. Pettingill 2, Anthony 2, Beckstead 1, D. Pettingill 1.

STL: BF — Williams 3, Abubakari 2, Rice 2, Hinthorn 1, Bateman 1. KIM — Anthony 1, Q. Pettingill 1, Bruning 1, Lloyd 1.

BLK: BF — Bateman 1, Abubakari 1. KIM — Jeschke 1.

4A State Tournament Semifinals Opponent Preview

MARSH VALLEY EAGLES

Record: 14-11
State seed: No. 5; District 5 champ
Coach: Chris Ball, second season
Players to watch: G Justis Whitworth, sr.; F Kaden Hansen, sr.; G Jaxon Smith, jr.
Notes: At state for the sixth time in seven years. … Tied for fifth in the final media state poll of the season, its first appearance of the season. … Didn’t get above .500 until the district tournament, where it upset Snake River twice. … Ended the season with four straight wins, including three over teams who were ranked in the state media poll. … Won two state titles (2021, 1988). … The Eagles have gone 6-3 at state in their last three outings, which also includes a third-place showing in 2022. … Hansen leads the team in scoring at 16 points per game. Whitworth is averaging 12 ppg and 6.0 assists, and Smith is putting up 11 ppg and 3.0 steals.