PREP BOYS BASKETBALL: Norisada clutch as Post Falls rallies

POST FALLS — Junior Sawyer Norisada scored 11 points off the bench, including a clutch 3-pointer with 34 seconds left, and the 6A Post Falls Trojans overcame a slow start to beat the 5A Sandpoint Bulldogs 68-66 on Tuesday night at The Arena. 

“Probably one of our best shooters on the team,” Post Falls coach Jayson Ulrich said. “He fights and battles on defense, and blocks out. When you play hard, good things happen.” 

Sandpoint (7-7) jumped out to a 10-0 lead before Post Falls (12-5) got untracked. 

“I think we were kinda shell-shocked at first,” Ulrich said. “Sandpoint’s good. They’re big, they’re physical.”

Connor Carver’s spinning left-handed shot off the glass gave the Trojans the lead for good at 60-58 with 2:11 remaining. 

After Sandpoint missed a free throw with just under a minute left that would have tied the game, Jaxon Lysne of Post Falls drove into the lane and whipped a pass to the left wing to Norisada, who drilled a 3 to make it 67-63. 

Down two with 3.3 seconds left, Sandpoint ran a back screen and threw a lob near the rim, but Carver intercepted it and the clock ran out. 

"This group just kinda overcomes,” Ulrich said. “There’s not a lot of panic; they just kept fighting and fighting. I was proud of them.” 

Lysne finished with 19 points and five steals. Cashton Bodman had 19 points and six rebounds, and Carver had 14 points and four steals. 

Logan Roos scored 18 points, Knox Williams 17 for Sandpoint. 

Post Falls plays host to 6A Inland Empire League-leading Lake City on Friday in a huge league game. Lake City won 68-60 at home in the first meeting. Post Falls needs a win to remain in the hunt for the top seed to districts, and bring some tiebreakers (such as 6A results against 5A schools) into play. 

Sandpoint plays host to Coeur d’Alene on Thursday.  

Sandpoint     13    18    15    20    —     66 

Post Falls     7    25    10    26    —    68 

SANDPOINT — Williams 17, Iverson 8, Yarbrough 3, Chamberlain 8, Wiesz 2, Roos 18, Gion 2, Corbett 8, Williams 2. 

POST FALLS — Norisada 11, Auble 0, Bodman 19, Lysne 19, Naylor 2, Munday 3, Carver 14, Dean 0. 

Timberlake 67 

Lakeside 62 

SPIRIT LAKE — Trailing 30-12 early in the second quarter, the host Tigers roared back to beat the Knights in nonleague play at Timberlake High. 

Junior Wade Van Gundy and sophomore Billy Vallieres combined to hit five 3-pointers as Timberlake (5-9) pulled within 43-38 at halftime. The Tigers then outscored high-scoring Lakeside (13-2) 29-19 after intermission. 

“The kids really came together and played a solid three quarters of basketball on both ends,” Timberlake coach Juston Henry said. “Overall I am really proud of all the kids. They really came together after another slow start and regained their focus and finished the game strong. It was a good win for all of them.” 

Senior Max Simpson had 20 points and nine rebounds for Timberlake. Brant Rush added 16 points, nine in the fourth quarter, including two 3s to help the Tigers build a small lead. 

Senior Tyson Charley scored a game-high 29 points for Lakeside. 

“Charley is a tough kid to guard; he can hurt you inside and out,” Henry said. “Our team defense really stepped up to finish the second half. Brant took the tough challenge of guarding Charley in the fourth and had enough energy in him to finish some big possessions on offense." 

“I think we need to learn to play with a lead,” Lakeside coach James Twoteeth said. “We got up 20, then relaxed and went away from our offense. Timberlake played hard and clawed back into it.” 

Lakeside plays host to Clark Fork for senior day on Saturday. 

Timberlake returns to action next Wednesday at home vs. Rogers of Spokane. 

Lakeside     27    16    7    12    —    62 

Timberlake     12    26    15    14    —    67 

LAKESIDE — Peone 10, Sines 0, Louie 5, Brown 9, Charley 29, Ramirez 2, Greensky 3, Pluff 4. 

TIMBERLAKE — Shively 2, Short 0, Simpson 20, Van Gundy 13, Vallieres 13, Hiaasen 3, Rush 16, Barnhart 0, Martin 0.