STATE 3A BOYS SEMIFINALS: St. Maries puts on a defensive show

By MARK NELKE 

Sports editor 

MERIDIAN — As if St. Maries needed any more motivation to play the kind of defense that, well, St. Maries is usually known for ... 

In his talk to the team before Friday’s semifinal game, St. Maries coach Bryan Chase noted that Ririe had the top defense in 3A in Idaho, allowing 40 points per game. 

Yeah, about that ... 

Using a combination of a man-to-man defense, a 1-3-1 zone and a half-court trap, top-seeded St. Maries held the fourth-seeded Bulldogs to two (two!) baskets in 15 attempts in the first half and forced 13 turnovers in the first two quarters. 

“I challenged the boys a little bit,” St. Maries coach Bryan Chase said after the Lumberjacks defeated Ririe 42-37 to earn the Lumberjacks’ first berth in the state title game since 2022. “They say these guys have the best defense in the state; let’s show them who really has the best defense out here. I know when we put our minds to it, we’re a pretty good defensive team too.”

St. Maries (20-3) will play second seed Wendell (24-2) today at 12:40 p.m. PST at the Ford Idaho Center in Nampa. 

"We have the best coach you could ask for; he’s trained us for every single moment, worked us every single night at practice just to get us here,” said St. Maries junior Landon Riberich, who finished with six points, three blocked shots and three steals. “I’m really excited to get a chance to win state.”    

In that first half, Ririe either threw the ball away against pressure, hoisted up 3s (0 for 7), or got turned away at the rim. 

Still, St. Maries led just 15-6 at intermission. 

After Ririe started getting untracked offensively, the Lumberjacks responded with a 10-0 run in the third quarter to boost their lead to 27-13. The Bulldogs got it to within two points in the second half, but St. Maries was able to keep the lead the rest of the way. 

Senior JJ Yearout led St. Maries with 17 points, and senior Xavier Sloper added eight. 

Chase praised the defense of senior Isaiah Gustaffe, who held Kody Landon, a 6-foot-5 senior for Ririe, to four first-half points. Yearout also guarded Landon for part of the game. 

Chase noted senior Jack Barta did a nice job denying Ririe’s point guard, making someone else bring the ball up the floor. 

"We knew they were physical, so we made sure to get bodies on everybody,” Gustaffe said. “They say they’re the No. 1 team for defense, but I think that’s us.” 

Landon scored 17 of his 21 points in the second half for Ririe (16-10). 

“They did a really good job pressuring us,” seventh-year Ririe coach Jordan Hamilton said. “Sometimes big, long teams like that can disguise a defense pretty well. I think our kids were a little confused early on — are they in a man or are they in a zone. They’re just well coached. Bryan Chase is such a good coach.”   

St. Maries will play in the Idaho Center today for the fourth time since 2019. The Lumberjacks won the state title in 2021. 

“It’s a pretty good feeling,” said Chase, in his 12th season as St. Maries coach. “This group, they’re excited, but I think they’ve got one more goal in mind. Sometimes teams come in here, and they’re just excited about getting there and they forget, ‘hey, we’ve still got another game.’ That’s been a goal all year long, to get to the state championship, and win the state championship.” 

Ririe     4    2    14    17    —    37 

St. Maries     6    9    14    13    —    42 

RIRIE — Stosich 3, Lewis 0, Henderson 4, Brown 7, K. Landon 21, A. Landon 0, I. Johnson 2. Totals 13-38 8-14 37. 

ST. MARIES — Harold 2, J. Barta 1, Yearout 17, Gustaffe 8, B. Barta 0, Riberich 6, Speakman 0, Sloper 8. Totals 17-47 6-8 42. 

    MARK NELKE/Press St. Maries senior Xavier Sloper (32) looks to go up for a shot as Cooper Brown (4) and Thomas Henderson (3) of Ririe defend in Friday's state 3A boys basketball semifinal at Meridian High.
  

    MARK NELKE/Press St. Maries senior Brock Barta (11), senior JJ Yearout and junior Landon Riberich (21) celebrate after the Lumberjacks beat Ririe in the semifinals of the state 3A boys basketball tournament Friday at Meridian High. St. Maries will play Wendell today at 12:40 p.m. PST at the Ford Idaho Center in Nampa in the state title game.