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Pirates clinch state berth
A strong second half propelled the Prairie Lady Pirates past Genesee 52-38 in their District Tournament opener Friday, Feb. 5, and clinched a berth in the state tournament. 
The game was played at the LCSC Activity Center in Lewiston. Both teams struggled to score in the first half as Prairie was 2 for 17 shooting in the first quarter and 0 for 11 in the second quarter. Genesee was 1 for 9 in the opening quarter and 4 for 16 in the second. Prairie scored first on Haily Danly’s perimeter shot and led 4-1 when Angela Wemhoff scored a lay-up on a step around move in the lane. Prairie wouldn’t make another field goal until the second half. Despite that they trailed just 6-7 at the end of the first quarter. The second quarter saw the Pirates benefit from fouls by Genesee as they went to the line 20 times, converting 12 free throws. Genesee meanwhile scored 4 baskets, including a 3-pointer, but were 0 for 4 at the line. Somehow Prairie managed to take an 18-16 lead at the half with Tidwell scoring 2 free throws with 1:14 left to put Prairie ahead. Genesee coach Brandon McIntosh picked up a technical foul in the quarter for pointing out the foul disparity. After the half it was like a different team came out in the white uniforms for Prairie. Three straight trips down the floor Danly found Chaye Uptmor open under the basket for a lay-up as Prairie scored the first 6 points of the half and already had more made baskets than the entire first half. That put Prairie up by 8. Four times Genesee cut the lead to 6 but Prairie answered each time. Danly hit from the corner, Talyss Lustig scored a putback, Wemhoff scored a left-handed layup and then Tidwell put Prairie up by 9 with a 3-pointer with 1:08 left. Genesee cut the lead to 7 but a basket each by Danly and Uptmor gave Prairie a 37-26 lead at the end of the quarter. Prairie made it an 8-0 run early in the fourth as Danly and Uptmor each scored on a lay-up to put Prairie up 41-26 and the game was all but over at that point. Genesee got within 13 points three different times but no closer as Prairie closed out the win and clinched their 6th straight state appearance. After hitting just 2 of 28 shots in the first half, Prairie connected on 14 of 22 in the second. No one illustrated the difference better than Uptmor who was 0 for 4 in the first half and 5 for 5 in the second. Danly was close with a 1 for 9 first half followed by a 4 for 5 second half. Each scored 12 points to lead the Pirates in scoring. Tidwell and Wemhoff scored 8 each while Shayla VonBargen and Lustig scored 4 each and Josie Peery and Leah Higgins each scored 2. Defensively Prairie mixed in a diamond and 2 with their usual zone and man defenses with the chasers in the diamond and 2 going after Kaleigh Ranisate and Courtney Burt. Ranisate was held to just 8 points after scoring 26 the last time the two teams played. Burt only scored 3. Uptmor was given most of the duty of keeping Ranisate under wraps. Prairie dominated on the boards 53-30 with VonBargen grabbing 10 to lead the team. Uptmor had 9, Lustig and Wemhoff 8 each and Danly 7. Tidwell had 4 steals and Danly had 5 assists. For the game Prairie was 16 for 50 from the field, 32%, and 19 for 36 at the line, 53%. Genesee was 14 for 52 from the field, 27%, and 6 for 16 at the line, 38%. Prairie is now 16-5 on the season and will play Lapwai for the District Championship Friday, Feb. 12 at 7:30 p.m. following the Division 2 second place game. Prairie 6 12 19 15 -52 Genesee 7 9 10 12 -38 Prairie-Tidwell 1-13, 5-8, 8; Wemhoff 3-9, 2-4, 8; VonBargen 1-2, 2-2, 4; Uptmor 5-9, 2-8, 12; Danly 5-14, 2-5, 12; Lustig 1-3, 2-2, 4; Peery 0-0, 2-4, 2; L. Higgins 0-0, 2-2, 2; Bruner 0-0, 0-0, 0; Krogh 0-0, 0-0, 0; J. Higgins 0-0, 0-2, 0; T. Wemhoff 0-0, 0-0, 0. 3-pointers-Tidwell. Genesee-Ranisate 3-10, 2-4, 8; Cornell 0-3, 0-0, 0; C. Mayer 3-8, 0-6, 7; Druffel 2-9, 2-4, 8; Burt 1-6, 0-0, 3; O’Connell 3-13, 0-0, 6; Prindle 1-2, 2-2, 4; B. Mayer 1-1, 0-0, 2. 3-pointers-Druffel 2, C. Mayer.
A common sight in the second quarter was a Prairie player shooting a free throw. Prairie outscored Genesee 12-9 in the quarter with all 12 points coming on free throws. Shown is Hailey Danly with Angela Wemhoff in the background. PIRATES GIRLS BASKETBALL SCHEDULE FOR 2015-16 *indicates league game 24-Grangeville, there, won 50-42 2-JV at Grangeville, 7:30 p.m. 3-Potlatch, there*, 5 p.m., won 73-22 4-Grangeville, here, Idaho County Shootout, V only, 7:30 p.m., lost38-42 5-Troy, there, 6:00 p.m., won 54-27 8-C.V., there*, ½ JV, won 62-4 10-Kamiah, there*, won 59-20 11-Moscow, here, C,JV,V, 4 p.m., lost 33-47 14-Lapwai, there*, lost 49-56 15-Asotin, here, won 61-28 9-Troy, here*, 1 p.m. (Quad), won 57-33 12-Genesee, there*, 4:30 & 6, won 66-58, details next week 14-Lewiston JV, here, won 60-56 16-Potlatch, here*, 1 p.m., won 67-26 18-Asotin, there, won 76-36 21-Lapwai, here*, lost 33-66 25-C.V., here*, won 67-8 26-Kamiah, here*, won 72-13 Feb. 5-12 -District at LCSC, beat Genesee 52-38. To play Lapwai at 7:30 p.m. Friday, Feb. 12 for District Championship. 18-20-State at Nampa |
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