Bonners Ferry 77, Timberlake 55 

As the saying goes, always save the best for last. With Bonners Ferry High School in danger of being swept during the Backwoods Brawl, senior Sulay Abubakari and juniors Peyton Hinthorn and Ty Schrock combined for 55 points as the Badgers controlled the game throughout against the Timberlake Tigers. 

Senior Micah Thomson added 13 points to pair with excellent defense throughout the game.  

Schrock made the game’s first two-pointer with an open layup, before Hinthorn scored a reverse layup soon after. Junior Jameson Cartwright-Kissee made a step back three to give the Badgers a 10-2 start to the game, at which point Timberlake called a timeout to try and slow the game down. 

It worked to an extent, as the quarter ended with the Badgers still up eight points, 17-9. However, that became 25-14 early in the second quarter after an Abubakari three-pointer a few feet back from the line and the lead continued to grow as in the dying seconds, Thomson sent a defender to the ground to make an easy layup, the score 42-25 at the half. 

The score was cut down to 56-43 in favor of the Badgers at the end of the third quarter, before junior Risten Allred took a rebound away from the Tigers and fed the ball to Hinthorn, who swished a corner three. 

A dominant fourth quarter ensured the Badgers a win in the two-team league with one more game against Timberlake on Feb. 17 on the road. One highlight came when Schrock’s free throw gave the Badgers 67 points, triggering a celebration from the student section in reference to the popular “67” meme. 

Bonners Ferry 17 25 17 18 — 77 

Timberlake 9 16 18 12 — 55 

PTS: Abubakari 19, Schrock 18, Hinthorn 18, Thomson 13, Cartwright-Kissee 6, Hart 3

St. Maries 79, Bonners Ferry 48

On Tuesday, Jan. 20, the Badgers were away to a St. Maries Lumberjacks team that was 10-1 to start the season. The momentum from Timberlake would not carry into this game, as Bonners Ferry lost by 31 points. St. Maries is now ranked 13 in Idaho and have won ten games in a row.

It was a close game at the half, with the Badgers down just three points, before a 29-9 advantage in the fourth quarter for the Lumberjacks took the game away. 

The Badgers are currently 6-7 on the season but have won two out of their last three games.  

Bonners Ferry 8 18 13 9 — 48 

St. Maries 18 11 21 29 — 79 

Pts: Schrock 17, Abubakari 12, Hinthorn 11, Cartwright-Kissee 5, Hart 3

    Sulay Abubakari is surrounded by four Timberlake Tigers opponents as he goes for a layup.