Jensen, Roop lead Thunder boys to pair of wins

KOOTENAI — The Kootenai Thunder boys basketball, led by head coach Joel Aispuro and assistants Mel Jensen and Luke Schramm, lost a pair of nail-biters to start the season, before rebounding to post a 2-3 record so far in Mountain Christian League play.

The Thunder tipped off the season with a 35-34 loss to Christian Center at the Hub in Liberty Lake. Shayne Jensen posted 12 points, five rebounds, four assists and steal, Curtis Roop added nine points and eight rebounds, Tyrell Murray five points and 8 rebounds, Shepley Osman five rebounds, Bucky Roop six rebounds and Peter Soderberg seven rebounds in the loss.

The team then faced Christian Heritage School in Edwall, Wash., falling 46-45 in another hard-luck loss. Bucky Roop led the way with 15 points, Jensen added 13 points, eight rebounds, three assists and three blocks, Soderberg eight points and 10 rebounds, Michael Favor four points, three rebounds and three steals in the loss.

The Thunder broke through for a win with a 55-32 drubbing of Oaks Academy. Roop posted 11 points, six rebounds, four assists and four steals in a strong all-around game, Mike Favor added 10 points, three rebounds and 3 steals, Bucky Roop 10 points, Shayne Jensen nine points, eight rebounds and five assists, Peter Soderberg five points and a team-high 13 rebounds, Ty Murray four points and Andrew McAurthur and Alex Christensen two apiece in the win.

Peter Soderberg had his best game of the season in another strong win, dropping 14 points to go with nine boards in a 60-18 dispatching of Classical Christian Academy.

Murray posted 12 points and six rebounds, Jensen 10 points and five assists, Levi Favor 10 points, Michael Favor five points and three steals, Alex Christensen four points, Curtis Roop four assists, Paul McLeod two points and Bucky Roop five rebounds.

Lastly, the Thunder lost 53-40 to Upper Columbia Academy in Spangle, Wash.,in a hard-fought battle, with UCA hitting five 3-pointers in the fourth quarter to pull ahead. Jensen led the Thunder with 17 points, six rebounds and eight assists, Murray six points and eight rebounds, Bucky Roop six points, Curtis Roop four points and six rebounds, Osman five boards, Soderberg six rebounds and two steals and Mike Favor with three rebounds and three steals in the loss.