Basketball Whip-Around: Local teams win 7 trophies across 4 divisions
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EASTERN IDAHO — Local schools sent 13 teams to the Boys Basketball State Championships last week, and more than half of those teams came home with a trophy.
While the Rockland Bulldogs were the only District 5-6 team to play in a championship game at the Ford Idaho Center, beating Garden Valley in a thrilling 1A title game, they were just one of seven teams to claim trophies.
Rockland got major contributions from all six of the players that make up head coach Shae Neal’s primary rotation, including juniors Xavier Parrish, Brayzen Gibbs and Zach Permann who will be responsible for the Bulldogs’ repeat aspirations next year.
Eastern Idaho teams went 7-4 on Saturday, with two of the four losses coming against other eastern Idaho teams.
Here are the results for the other 10 teams that played Saturday:
1A
Watersprings, third place
The Warriors finished the season with a win, bouncing back from a semifinal loss that ended on a missed game-tying shot attempt. Led by senior Korban Nelson, who scored a game-high 21 points, and junior Sean Perry, who scored 14, Watersprings beat Carey 57-35.
Nelson and fellow senior Ryan Demkowicz go out having cemented their places in school history, helping bring the basketball program its best ever finish. Both also joined the 1,000-point club, with Demkowicz reaching the rare mark in the opening round of the state tournament.
2A
Grace, Consolation
The Grace Grizzlies, who won an incredibly tight three-part battle with Butte County to earn their spot in the tourney, topped Murtaugh in a 53-51 nail-biter to finish their season on a two-game winning streak and with a consolation trophy.
Grace was led by seniors Parker Yost and Chase Smith, who scored 16 and 14 points, respectively. The Grizzlies finished the 2024-25 season with a third-place trophy, making it back-to-back trophies for Grace High School.
3A
Ririe, third place
Senior Kody Landon led his Bulldogs once again, finishing the 3A third-place game with game-highs in points, 23, rebounds, 11, and assists, five.
Landon joined the 1,000-point club during the state tournament. He also offered his team the most important ability: availability.
Landon played 98 of the 100 minutes Ririe spent on the court during the tournament, including all 36 minutes of the third-place overtime thriller, helping Ririe beat New Plymouth 64-60.
Soda Springs, consolation
In one of two championship Saturday matchups between a pair of eastern teams, the Cardinals topped the Firth Cougars 58-43, sending the Cougars home empty-handed.
Soda Springs was led by senior Cooper Thompson, who scored a game-high 24 points. Thompson also joined the 1,000-point club this season.
Fellow senior Gavin Hansen joined Thompson in finishing his prep career with a monster performance. Hansen posted a double-double, with 17 points, 10 rebounds and four steals.
Firth was led by juniors Brycen Andersen and Wyatt Killpack. Anderson scored 19 and grabbed 15 boards, while Killpack put up a 17-point, 11-rebound performance.
4A
Marsh Valley, consolation
Led by eight seniors who have played together since they were 5 years old and coming off back-to-back losses in the third-place game, the Eagles had a goal at the start of the season: to leave the state tournament with a trophy. They accomplished that goal, beating Filer, 57-54, in the consolation game.
Marsh Valley was led by senior Jaxson Smith, who scored a game-high 17 to go with three assists and four steals. Sophomore Nash Guthrie added a double-double, finishing with 13 points, 10 rebounds, one block and two steals.
Teton, third place
The Timberwolves recorded their third victory over the Snake River Panthers this season. And the biggest of those wins, deciding the third-place finisher at the state tourney, was the closest. Teton trailed all game before surging to a 58-54 victory.
They were led by Canon Kunz, who scored a game-high 20 points, and Luke Nelson, who scored 16.
The Panthers were paced by Bridjer Howard, who posted team-highs in points, 12, and rebounds, seven.
5A
Preston got off to the best start they could have imagined through the first three quarters of their tourney-opening victory over Bonneville, taking a 67-38 lead into the fourth. But the Bees stormed back and forced head coach Tyler Jones to re-insert his starters.
Preston survived that challenge, but having its starters cool down, then heat back up, may have affected them for the rest of the weekend. Preston suffered an overtime loss to Bishop Kelly in the semis, then fell against Columbia in the third-place game.
Jones’ team won its fifth state championship over the last decade last season, and had title aspirations this season, but go home empty-handed.
6A
The Highland Rams rallied for a comeback victory over Kuna on Thursday before falling to the top-seeded Owyhee Storm on Friday. Put in the unfortunate situation of facing Centennial at Centennial High School in the third-place game, the Rams put together another huge fourth-quarter rally — something they did all year — but it was too little, too late.
Highland outscored Centennial 18-5 in the fourth, falling 60-53.
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