By JASON ELLIOTT

Sports writer

NAMPA – The memories and miles made this trip worth it.

And it’s been quite the ride for the Bonners Ferry High boys basketball team.

Well over 1,000 miles, and that final destination wound back to the Ford Idaho Center again.

And again, the Badgers brought home the big prize.

Senior Asher Williams had 24 points, senior Thomas Bateman 17 points and five rebounds as the top-seeded Badgers claimed their second straight state title, beating the second-seeded Snake River Panthers 65-51 for the 4A – formerly 3A – title on Saturday.

So all those miles getting this team ready ...

Was it worth it to Bonners Ferry coach Nathan Williams?

“Absolutely.”

Asher Williams extended the lead to 59-47 with a pair of free throws with 3:48 remaining. Bateman and fellow senior Brody Rice iced the game with scores in the final minutes.

“We’ve been working for this our whole lives,” said Asher Williams, who has committed to NAIA Montana Tech in Butte, Mont. “Us seniors have been playing together since we were in third grade. It was a great win to get them by 14 points.”

With Snake River rallying, Bateman had a steal under the basket to keep the Panthers away.

“We’ve been grinding for this moment for a long time,” Bateman said. “It felt really nice to have it end with a championship. It really felt like we did a good job of adjusting to them.”

“Going out on top was really huge,” said Nathan Williiams, in his fifth season as Bonners coach. “I’ll probably be watching college basketball somewhere next year, so it’s probably going to be my last year, I’m guessing. We’ve had a great run.”

Bonners Ferry finished 24-1, with its lone loss this season coming to Lake City — which played in Saturday's state 6A title game — on Feb. 10 in Coeur d’Alene. The Badgers finished the season by winning 41 of their last 42 dating back to Dec. 28, 2023.

“It really comes down to building a legacy,” said Nathan Williams, whose Badgers finished runner-up at state in 2023. “Maybe in 10 or 20 years, they’re going to be coaches one day and I just want them to remember those moments and the effort that it took to make this happen. They’ve been going at it for years. My job is to stretch them mentally and physically, and I played college basketball for four years, and they’re much smarter than I am. They worked hard and built this.”

Senior Marcus Coombs scored 19 points for Snake River (25-4), which was at state for the 10th straight year and was the top seed in the 2024 tournament before being upset in the semifinals.

“Bonners Ferry is a big, athletic team,” said Snake River coach Robert Coombs, in his 32nd season. “You’ve got to give them credit. That’s a great group of kids.”

After a back and forth first few minutes, Bonners Ferry closed the first quarter on a 13-3 run and spread the lead to 42-27 at halftime.

“They were a little more aggressive about executing down the stretch,” Coombs said. “They’re a really good team and deserve this. You’ve got to give them credit. They played really well. Anytime you give up 65 points in a game, it’s not going to go well.”

Snake River        14    13    11    13    –    51

Bonners Ferry        23    19    11    12    –    65

SNAKE RIVER – Anderson 4, Wheatley 0. Mortensen 4, High 0, Jackman 16, Mortimer 0, Lee 0, Thomas 0, Driscoll 0, Coombs 19, Trejo 0, Howard 6, Albertson 0. Totals 23-43 3-8 51.

BONNERS FERRY – Schrock 0, Stanger 0, Blackmore 9, Rice 13, Hiatt 0, Hinthorn 2, Williams 24, Bateman 17, Cartwright 0, Abubakari 0, Cartwright-Kissee 0. Totals 24-41 11-14 65.

    JASON DUCHOW PHOTOGRAPHY Bonners Ferry senior Thomas Bateman shoots over Snake River's Bridjer Howard during the second half of Saturday's state 4A boys basketball championship game at the Ford Idaho Center in Nampa.