Bonners Ferry 73, Weiser 67 

Bonners Ferry High School basketball is back. Aiming to win their third consecutive state championship, a win or go home game against the Weiser Wolverines was paramount to that goal and the Badgers delivered. They next play in the state playoff quarterfinals on March 5 at 2 p.m. MST at Eagle High School. 

Sulay Abubakari scored 28 points, Ty Schrock scored 16 and Peyton Hinthorn scored 14 points as Bonners Ferry overcame a fourth-quarter deficit to win by six points. 

It was a high-scoring first quarter for the Badgers, with Jameson Cartwright-Kissee scoring a team-high six points courtesy of an and-one and a three-pointer to give the Badgers a 20-16 lead after eight minutes played. 

The second quarter was one in which the Wolves took the advantage, with one of their players having 12 points in the quarter. In total, the Badgers were outscored 22-15 and went into the half down three points. 

The third quarter was exactly even, with Bonners Ferry getting eight points from Abubakari. Trailing by three with eight minutes to go, the Badgers knew it was win or go home.  

Win they did, with a 23-point fourth quarter more than enough to save Bonners Ferry’s season and send them to the 4A state tournament in Eagle. Abubakari scored nine points and Hinthorn had eight in the quarter to lead the team.

Free throws played a major factor in both the final quarter and in the game. In the final minutes, the Badgers shot 14 free throws, making 12 of them. Weiser went three for six in the same period. 

In total, Bonners Ferry scored 21 points via foul shots, with the Wolverines only scoring seven. 

It is now six games in a row unbeaten for Bonners Ferry, who move to 13-8 on the season.  

The Badgers, ranked fifth in the tournament bracket, will play the Gooding Senators on March 5 at 2 p.m. at Eagle High School. Gooding is located about a 45-minute drive from Twin Falls. The Senators are 14-6 and are ranked 39 in Idaho. They are currently on a four-game winning streak. 

If Bonners Ferry wins, they will face either Teton or Filer on March 6 at 5 p.m. in the semifinals before the championship will be played at 3:50 p.m. on March 7. 

The other side of the eight-team bracket includes Snake River, Marsh Valley, Cole Valley and Homedale. 

Bonners Ferry 20 15 15 23 — 73 

Weiser 16 22 15 14 — 67 

PTS: Abubakari 28, Schrock 16, Hinthorn 14, Cartwright-Kissee 9, Allred 4, Thomson 2 

    The Bonners Ferry boys basketball team won against Weiser to advance to the state playoffs.