It was a season of change for Bonners Ferry girls basketball, which had a first-time coach and multiple freshmen. However, the Badgers finished with a winning record of 11-9 before falling in the district playoffs to Timberlake. 

Coach Tomi Bateman’s team picked up several statement wins, including victories over Moscow, ranked No. 39 in Idaho, and Reardan, a top-40 team in Washington. 

Bateman said she was glad to have her first year of coaching high school basketball under her belt. 

“This first season was a great learning experience for me,” Bateman said. “In many ways, I felt I was able to find myself as a coach. It’s easy to daydream about the type of coach you want to be, and another thing to actually be in the hot seat making decisions and guiding the team.” 

“This team will always be special to me for going through this learning process with me,” she said. “I love them and am excited to apply what I’ve learned in many seasons to come.” 

One thing that helped her in tough moments this season was a quote she used often. 

“The greatest sin a coach can make is to allow kids to slide by,” Bateman said. “This applies in the classroom as well. Kids need direction and to be shown what they are capable of.” 

The highlight of the season was a 7-1 stretch in the middle of the schedule that included five straight wins. The Badgers also showed resilience after a 1-3 start in which they did not score more than 41 points. 

Bateman said her favorite moment was when a senior scored for the first time this season. 

“I had many favorite parts of the season, but if there was one moment that stands out, it would be when the whole team rallied around Lisa Bouvy to score her first basket of the season,” Bateman said. 

“Taren Bateman had two big rebounds and passes to Lisa, followed by a hustle play, saving the ball from going out of bounds and tipping it to Kayle Petersen, who passed to Bouvy for her first basket of the season. The celebration of that special moment was priceless.” 

Bateman reflected on the season but also looked ahead to the program’s future. 

“We will miss our seniors Makenna Baisden, Alexys Mierke, Hallie Thomson and Bouvy,” Bateman said. “We have a lot of great training opportunities for the girls this offseason and are excited to welcome our freshman class this spring and summer. The future is bright.” 

“The sky’s the limit on what these girls can do if they are willing to work for it.” 

On an individual level, Taren Bateman finished sixth in Idaho at 21.2 points per game. Her average of 25.2 points per 32 minutes ranked third in the state. She also was ninth in blocks, 20th in assists and 24th in steals. 

In Idaho division 4A, Nolie Hiatt finished in the top 10 in scoring, seventh in rebounds and sixth in blocks. Just behind her on the boards was Eva Willis, who finished eighth. Each also averaged more than two offensive rebounds per game. 

Bristol Hill finished ninth in assists and 12th in both 3-pointers made and points per 32 minutes. Jaycee Bateman finished in the top 15 in 4A in both points per 32 minutes and 3-pointers made. 

Stats per game: 

PTS: T. Bateman, 21.2, Hiatt 8.5, Hill 7.2, J. Bateman 6.8, Willis 4.2, Alexys Mierke 4.0, Hallie Thomson 1.3, Kayle Petersen 1.1, Lisa Bouvy 0.7, Clementine Warden 0.3, Brooklyn Hubbard 0.2

REB: Hiatt 7.5, Willis 6.9, T. Bateman 6.2, Mierke 4.2, J. Bateman 3.1, Hill 3.0 

AST: T. Bateman 3.5, Hill 2.3, J. Bateman 2.0, Mierke 1.7, Hiatt 1.3 

STL: T. Bateman 3.7, Mierke 2.3, Hiatt 2.2, Hill 1.7, Willis 1.6 

BLK: T. Bateman 2.0, Hiatt 1.1, Willis 0.4, Hill 0.3, J. Bateman 0.2, Thomson 0.2, Mierke 0.2