Don Day

You’re never quite sure how teams from the North, East, and Southwest will matchup, when they never play each other. That's why the first full day of action at the Girls State Basketball is always revealing.  Perhaps the biggest lesson we take with us heading into Friday’s semifinals, is that momentum might be the most important attribute a team can have.

In the 5A, the Centennial Patriots lacked momentum (coming off a District Championship loss), and fell to Coeur d’Alene.  Meanwhile, the team that ended the Pats’ undefeated season in that District Championship, Vallivue, beat Mountain View to move on.  The Falcons face Post Falls tonight at the Idaho Center.  On the other side of the bracket, Twin Falls snuck past Eagle to earn the right to face Coeur d’Alene.

Nowhere was momentum a bigger factor in the 4A.  Skyview, a team with a losing record, that played their way into State by winning the District Title, upset the top-ranked Bonneville Bees.  They move on to face Middleton, another red-hot squad, who pounded Hillcrest (the only team to beat Bonneville prior to State).  Bishop Kelly is on a roll, too, after getting by Jerome 46-45 in overtime.  The Knights face Pocatello tonight in the semifinals, held at Timberline High School.

The Kimberly Bulldogs have been on fire all season long, compiling the State’s only undefeated record to this point.  It continued in the first round, with the Dogs outlasting Kellogg by 3 points.  They now face Bear Lake in the Semis tonight, who beat Weiser, 50-40.  Fruitland was no match for Shelley in the first round, losing 42-29.  You can catch all the 3A action at Middleton High.

In the 2A Ranks, New Plymouth and Melba were both sent to the consolation bracket after the first round.  But, Wendell survived to face Grangeville.  The 2A games are being played at Bishop Kelly High School.

The 1A played their quarterfinals Thursday night, with only one team from Southwestern Idaho surviving to play in tonight’s semis.  Genesee shutdown Carey, 47-23, while Garden Valley won a thriller against Richfield, 32-31.  The Wolverines face Raft River tonight at Columbia High School.

For all of Thursday’s State highlights and scores, click on the video link on the homepage.