If defense still wins championships, boys basketball teams in the 5A Southern Idaho Conference should be excited.

For the first time in seven seasons, the league’s overall scoring average dipped below 50 points per game — to 49.7. The last time that occurred was during the 2005-06 season when teams averaged 48.0 points in conference play.

Since a recent peak of 60.2 points per game in 2006-07, scoring in the league has trended downward: 56.1 (2007-08), 56.4 (2008-09), 52.6 (2009-10) and 52.4 (2010-11).

Steve Schroeder, who has been the 5A SIC boys basketball statistician for 29 years, has been paying close attention to the offensive numbers.

“I think the teams are playing a little bit better defense and you have a little bit more spread out scoring,” Schroeder said. “... You don’t have the guys that are scoring 20-plus points a game like we’ve had in the past.”

Borah senior forward Ben Tucakovic currently leads the 5A SIC in scoring at 14.8 points per game. In the two previous seasons — when there was at least one player averaging 20 or more points per game — Tucakovic’s numbers would have ranked fourth.

“I would like to think it’s defense,” said Centennial coach Tom Aipperspach, who is the longest tenured coach in the league in his 24th season.

“Just like in college, teams throw a lot of different things at you now in high school, and I think sometimes kids make good adjustments and coaches make good adjustments, and sometimes kids don’t. It gets in their head, and maybe that is the reason there isn’t as much scoring.”

Based on Schroeder’s records starting with the 1985-86 season, this year’s overall conference field-goal percentage of 39.3 is the second lowest all-time behind 37.8 in 2005-06.

FOOD FOR THOUGHT

It might not pay to be a 5A District Three champion, thanks to the predetermined state tournament pairings in boys and girls basketball.

The winner of this Friday’s girls championship between Centennial and Vallivue will play the District One-Two runner-up in the first round of the state tournament. That team is likely to be either Coeur d’Alene — last year’s state runner-up — or defending state champ Lewiston.

The winner of the 5A District Three boys tournament will likely play Post Falls or Coeur d’Alene, both of which have been ranked among the top 5 teams in the state all season in the media poll.

Rachel Roberts: 377-6422