Tigers tear through Spartans
Feb. 24—LAPWAI — Successfully defending its Idaho Class 1A Division II district title, the Kendrick boys basketball team hit the gas after intermission to prevail 64-35 against Timberline of Weippe on Thursday at Lapwai High School.
The championship game had been postponed from Wednesday because of inclement weather.
The Tigers (17-3) advance to the state tournament March 2-4 in Caldwell, where coach Tim Silflow thinks they most likely will receive the third seed. The Spartans (11-10) will try to earn their own state berth in a loser-out game against St. John Bosco of Cottonwood at 6 p.m. today at the same site.
Spartans contain Tigers early
The first quarter was a relatively low-scoring affair, with Kendrick building an 8-2 advantage in the first five minutes before Timberline's Logan Hunter and Parker Brown struck back with three baskets in close succession to give the Spartans a 9-8 lead — their first and only one of the game. Hunter would lead all Timberline scorers with 13 points.
Ty Koepp connected under the basket for Kendrick to go up 10-9 before the end of the period, and the Tigers never gave up the lead again.
"It was a slow start, but you know what? Timberline gets after it," Silflow said. "Credit to them for slowing us down that first half."
The Spartans could only slow the Tigers down for so long. After building a 24-16 lead heading into intermission, Kendrick stamped its authority by exceeding its entire first-half total with a 27-point third quarter. A series of four consecutive free throws by Nathan Tweit after a technical foul call had the Tigers more-than-doubling their opponents' score at 37-18. Inside baskets from Koepp, Hunter Taylor and Brock Boyer extended things to 43-18 before Timberline stopped the bleeding.
Taylor tops three big scorers
Taylor was a major presence throughout the game, and exploded for 10 points in the third quarter en route to finishing with a game-high 20.
That total was a career record for the 6-foot junior, who connected from all around the court, making five inside field goals and three from beyond the arc while converting his only free-throw attempt.
"I just found my rhythm late in the game, I guess," Taylor said. "...It's been a good season, and I hope we can keep it going and maybe win a state title."
Quarterbacks cross over
The Tigers' other two double-figure scorers for the night, Koepp (16 points) and Tweit (13), know something about state titles, having served as the starting and backup quarterbacks on the school's undefeated state champion football team in the fall.
"The reason they're quarterbacks is they're smart," Silflow said. "They understand the game, and it shows on the basketball floor. Nate being a freshman — he does not play like a freshman. He's really impressed me this year; he's helped us a ton. They all get along; they play so good together; it's fun to watch."
Jagger Hewett, another football crossover, had a team-high seven assists to go with his five points. Kendrick shot 43% as a team in field goals and 87% in free throws, also totaling 12 steals.
"We're excited to get down there (to State)," Silflow said. "The kids are ready for it. We're kind of ready to show the south that we've got a north team that's ready to go down there and compete."
TIMBERLINE-WEIPPE (11-10)
Parker Brown 3 0-0 6, Jude Nelson 0 1-3 1, Saimone Tuikolovatu 1 2-6 4, Gavin Christopherson 4 1-2 9, Parker Hodges 0 1-2 1, Logan Hunter 5 1-1 13, C. Marshall 0 1-2 1. Totals 13 7-16 35.
KENDRICK (17-3)
Lane Clemenhagen 0 1-2 1, Jagger Hewett 2 0-0 5, Nathan Tweit 4 4-4 13, Wyatt Cook 1 1-1 3, Hunter Taylor 8 1-1 20, Mason Kimberling 1 0-0 2, Brock Boyer 1 0-0 2, Xavier Carpenter 0 0-0 0, Ralli Roetcisoender 0 0-0 0, Kolt Koepp 0 0-0 0, Ty Koepp 6 4-5 16 , Cade Silflow 0 2-2 2. Totals 23 13-15 64.
Timberline 9 7 8 11—35
Kendrick 10 14 27 13—64
3-point goals — Hunter 2, Taylor 3, Hewett, Tweit.
Wendt may be contacted at (208) 848-2268, or cwendt@lmtribune.com.
