Pirates out in 2 games at District
The Prairie boys basketball team had a short stay at the District Tournament this year as they were eliminated after just 2 games. On Thursday, Feb. 15 they lost their opening round game at Kamiah 44-56. On Monday, Feb. 19, they were eliminated by Clearwater Valley 53-64 at Lewiston High School.
The Pirates opened District play at Kamiah. The Pirates were able to play Kamiah tough for the first 13 minutes as they traded the lead 9 times in that span.
Lee Forsmann hit a 3-pointer to open the scoring. Kamiah answered with a 3 and two 2-point baskets for a 3-7 lead. Forsmann hit another 3 to cut the lead to 1. After a basket by Kamiah, Phil Schwartz and Noah Behler each hit a 3 to put Prairie up 12-9.
Kamiah cut the lead to 1 with 2 free throws but then Briggs Rambo scored Prairie’s first 2-point basket of the game to make it 14-11. Kamiah then scored 4 straight points to take a 14-15 lead by the end of the first quarter.
Behler put Prairie back on top with a basket to open the second quarter. Kamiah answered to retake the lead but Schwartz drove for a lay-up to put Prairie back on top 18-17.
Kamiah then scored 7 straight points to take an 18-23 lead. Matt Wemhoff hit a 3 to cut the deficit to 2. After a Kamiah basket, Schwartz hit a 3 and Forsmann drove to a lay-up to give Prairie a 26-25 lead with 3:30 left in the half. That turned out to be Prairie’s final lead of the game.
Kamiah closed the half with a 2-11 run to take a 28-36 lead at the half. A putback by Trenton Lorentz scored Prairie’s only 2 points in that run.
Prairie started the second half with a 10-4 run to get back within 2 at 38-40. Forsmann started it with 2 free throws but Kamiah answered with a lay-up. Rambo drove for 2 then Kamiah scored 2 free throws. Forsmann scored a free throw then hit a 3 from the corner. Behler scored a putback to make it 38-40.
Kamiah scored 4 straight points but Forsmann scored at the buzzer to make it 40-44 after 3 quarters.
The Pirates then went scoreless for the first 6:36 of the fourth quarter as Kamiah built a 13-point lead. Lorentz finally broke the drought with a lay-up at the 2:24 mark. After a Kamiah basket, Lorentz scored a putback but those were Prairie’s final points of the game.
Kamiah added a free throw to make it a 12-point final margin.
Forsmann led the Pirates in scoring with 16 points. Schwartz scored 8, Behler, 7, Lorentz 6, Rambo 4 and Wemhoff 3.
Prairie had a 28-24 edge on the boards. Lorentz had 6 to lead the Pirates.
Wemhoff had 2 steals and Lorentz had 3 assists.
Prairie was 17 for 44 from the field, 39%, and 3 for 4 at the line, 75%. Kamiah was 23 for 46 from the field, 50%, and 6 for 8 at the line, 75%.
Riley Shears missed the game due to illness.
Prairie   14 14 12   4 -44
Kamiah 15 21   8 12 -56
Prairie-Wemhoff 1-3, 0-0, 3; Lorentz 3-4, 0-0, 6; Schwartz 3-8, 0-0, 8; Rambo 2-7, 0-0, 4; Forsmann 5-14, 3-4, 16; Weber 0-2, 0-0, 0; Behler 3-6, 0-0, 7. 3-pointers-Forsmann 3, Schwartz 2, Wemhoff, Behler.
Kamiah-Crowe 5-8, 0-0, 11; Loughran 3-9, 0-0, 8; Kludt 5-10, 0-0, 10; Kou 4-8, 2-3, 10; Oatman 2-3, 2-2, 7; Millage 0-1, 1-2, 1; Landmark 4-7, 1-2, 9; Cereghino 0-0, 0-0, 0. 3-pointers-Loughran 2, Crowe, Oatman.
In the game against the Rams the Pirates were down 0-4 before they had a chance to touch the ball. They were assessed a technical foul for attempting to dunk the ball during warmups and Landon Schlieper made the first of 2 free throws. C.V. then got the ball out on the side and that led to a 3 by Schlieper.
When Prairie got their chance at the ball they missed a shot and C.V. wound up getting a lay-up from Schlieper for a 0-6 lead.
Schwartz scored Prairie’s first 2 points and Shears followed with a drive to the hoop to make it 4-6. After a 3 by Schlieper, Forsmann scored a lay-up and 20 seconds later added a free throw to cut the deficit to 7-9. After a C.V. basket, Forsmann scored another lay-up to make it 9-11.
C.V. then scored 5 straight points with Rambo making 2 free throws in the final seconds of the quarter to make it 11-16.
C.V. scored first in the second quarter then Prairie got a basket from Shears and a free throw from Lorentz. After another basket by C.V., Behler made 2 straight baskets and Schwartz stole the ball and drove for a lay-up to tie the score at 20 with 4:06 left in the half.
Schlieper hit his fourth 3 of the half and after a putback by Shears, C.V. scored the final 12 points of the half to take a 22-35 lead at the break.
They added another basket to start the second half. Prairie then scored 5 straight points to get back within 10. Forsmann had a free throw and then a putback and Behler added a lay-up to make it 27-37.
C.V. answered with 6 straight points to push their lead to 16 at 27-43.
Prairie then went to full court pressure and forced several turnovers with 3 of them leading to points. Rambo made a free throw then a turnover led to a basket by Shears. 2 more turnovers led to 2 baskets by Behler. Rambo then scored from the baseline to cut the deficit to 36-43 with 41 seconds left in the third quarter.
Prairie might have been in good shape if they had taken a single digit deficit into the fourth quarter. However Schlieper converted a 3-point play and then hit his fifth 3 of the game at the buzzer to put C.V.’s lead back at 13, 36-49.
C.V. opened the fourth quarter with another basket to go up 15. Prairie then scored 6 straight on 2 baskets by Schwartz and 2 free throws by Shears to pull within 9 but C.V. then scored 6 of the next 7 points to go back up by 14.
A basket each by Wemhoff and Schwartz cut the deficit to 10 with 2:39 left. C.V. then made 4 free throws before Schwartz sank a 3 to make it 50-61. After 3 more free throws, C.V. led 50-64 with 1 minute to play. Schwartz hit another 3 with 33 seconds left to make the final margin 11 points.
Schwartz scored 16 to lead the Pirates in scoring. Shears and Behler scored 10 each. Forsmann scoring 9. Rambo scored 5, Wemhoff scored 2 and Lorentz scored 1.
C.V. had a 33-41 rebounding edge. Forsmann led the Pirates with 10 rebounds.
Schwartz had 3 steals and 3 assists while Shears had 2 steals and 3 assists.
Prairie was 21 for 58 from the field, 36%, and 10 for 22 at the line, 45%. C.V. was 22 for 48 from the field, 46%, and 13 for 18 at the line, 72%.
Schlieper wound up with a game-high 33 points.
Prairie ends their season with a 9-13 record and a 5 game losing streak.
Prairie 11 11 14 17 -53
C.V.   16 19 14 15 -64
Prairie-Shears 4-11, 2-3, 10; Lorentz 0-5, 1-4, 1; Schwartz 7-16, 0-0, 16; Behler 5-6, 0-2, 10; Forsmann 3-13, 3-6, 9; Weber 0-1, 0-2, 0; Rambo 1-4, 3-4, 5; Wemhoff 1-2, 0-0, 2. 3-pointers-Schwartz 2.
C.V.-Loewen 1-3, 0-0, 3; Scott 5-11, 3-7, 13; Gardner 2-7, 0-0, 4; Schlieper 11-13, 6-7, 33; Moses 1-3, 2-2, 4; Osborn 2-11, 2-2, 7; Giovannetti 0-0, 0-0, 0. 3-pointers-Schlieper 5, Osborn.