Sandpoint Earns No. 1 seed in OT

Sandpoint and Moscow’s girls’ basketball teams were battling like there was something at stake on Friday at Sandpoint high school probably because there was the number one seed in the 4A region I tournament.

The Bulldogs and Bears took turns controlling the tempo of the game but Sandpoint was able to come out on top 42-35 at Sandpoint high school.

“We were just lucky to hit some shots especially in overtime,” Sandpoint girls basketball coach Will Love said.

Sandpoint was starting to feel it as it opened up the floodgates during the start of the fourth where It went on a 12-2 run to take a 28-24 lead with 6:50 to go in the fourth.

Moscow answered back quickly with Peyton Watson making a layup with 2:00 to go in the fourth to tie the game at 34 which would be the last made field goal of regulation.

The Bears closed out the fourth by outscoring the Bulldogs 10-6 to force the extra period.

Sandpoint had an opportunity to take advantage of a Moscow mental error with 36 seconds remaining in regulation when coach Alex Hardick got hit with a technical foul.

But Peyton Cessena went 0-2 from the line and couldn’t capitalize on the extra possession either.

“One of the things we’ve struggled with all year has been scoring,” Love said. “It’s just been something we’ve had to deal with but when you’re constantly playing strong defense it makes it a little bit easier.”

Moscow was also guilty of not making the most of its opportunities. With 1:20 left in the fourth Grace Nauman blocked a shot and drove down to the other end where she missed the layup. Watson rebounded, her shot was also no good, Watson rebounded her own shot and missed again before Hardick got called for the technical.

Sandpoint seemed like it was in a position to run away with the game early when it finished the first quarter ahead 9-2, but Moscow came rallying back in the second to tie the game up at 16. By the end of the third the Bears held a 24-21 lead over the Bulldogs.

“I told them with about two minutes left in the quarter okay guys lets go out here and finish strong,” Love said. “But Moscow came out and took control and credit to them and all those players they really wanted a league championship too.”

Daylee Driggs paced Sandpoint with 13 points.

Angela Lassen led Moscow scorers with nine points.

As if the night couldn’t be any more drama filled, the night ended with a coin toss to decide who would get home court advantage for the 3-game play in series between Moscow and Lakeland.

Moscow won the coin toss

SANDPOINT (10-8, 3-5)

Cessna 6, Driggs 13, Reinnk 7, Tomco 3, Richardson 3, Owens 1, Strock 9, Lyons 3.

MOSCOW (6-15, 2-6)

Lassen 9, Haynes 4, Nauman 1, Watson 15, Thompson 2, J. Lassen 1, Parsons 1, Anderson 2.