Mission and Arlee basketball were back up with Class B basketball action. With multiple games going on, here’s what the first week of the new year looked like for these Lake County squads.

Florence Boys 64, Mission Boys 45

The Bulldogs welcomed the Florence Falcons to St. Ignatius High School for a doubleheader, with the boys dropping the first game of the night 64-45.

It was Florence who commanded the game in the first half with double-digit scoring quarters. The Bulldogs struggled to find a rhythm early, but the second half almost seemed destined for them.

An impressive 18-point quarter saw the Bulldogs rush back into contention for this win. With the Falcons only managing eight points in the third, Mission took a 35-33 lead going into the last quarter.

Unfortunately for the Bulldogs, the magic of the third was not enough as the Falcons scored 31 points in the final quarter. A combination of fouls and out-rebounding the Bulldogs helped Florence seal the win.

That loss put Mission at 2-4 on the season.

Florence Girls 73, Mission Girls 38

The nightcap was a matchup between two of Class B’s top contenders. With only one loss between the teams, it looked to be foreshadowing for a potential state tournament game.

However, the Lady Bulldogs were outmatched early. After a close first quarter, the Lady Falcons dominated in the second quarter with 18 points to Mission’s five points.

That momentum continued as the Lady Bulldogs went nearly deep into the third quarter before getting their first basket. Florence capitalized both offensively and defensively as they managed multiple turnovers early in the second half.

Even with a strong fourth quarter, the deficit was too much for Mission as they suffered their first loss of the season.

Junior Kieran Incashola had a strong day for Mission with an 18-point performance.

Mission now sits at 5-1 on the year.

Both the boys and girls will play on Jan. 6 at Thompson Falls with the hopes of rebounding to start the new year.

Arlee Boys 74, Powell County Boys 45

The Arlee Warriors also returned to action, but a day earlier and with more fireworks than a New Year’s Eve party. The boys took a win on the road against the Powell County Wardens 74-45.

This game was almost completely controlled by the Warriors. Arlee was dynamic on both ends of the court. It managed some decent scoring quarters in the first half, but matched that by only allowing nine points over the same amount of time.

With a 15-point lead, the Warriors continued stunning the Wardens with back-to-back 25-point quarters. By the time that Powell County’s offense had found a rhythm, it was already the fourth quarter. Arlee took the decisive victory for their first of the new year.

The win put the Warriors up to 5-1 on the season.

    Bulldog senior guard Lex LaFrombois dribbles up the court against the Florence Falcons on Jan. 3 at St. Ignatius High School. (Max Dupras/Leader)