Girls basketball state recap: Ambrose, Liberty Charter, Salmon River score hardware
Through the tears, Ambrose junior point guard Annelise Curran was already thinking about getting back to basketball practice.
There is plenty more history to be made.
Playing in the first state championship game in program history, the No. 3 Archers fell 68-43 to top-ranked Malad in the 3A title game Saturday afternoon at the Ford Idaho Center in Nampa.
“It feels great for next year. Maybe not now, but I know in a couple days, we’ll start practicing again and training up for next year,” said Curran, who came to Ambrose this year from Spokane, Wash.
“That way we can all have at least one year of experience with each other, which will be great.”
Ambrose (20-6), which started two juniors and three sophomores, will have the majority of its roster back next season, losing just two graduating seniors. The Archers won the 3A Western Idaho Conference regular-season title, claimed their first district championship and notched their first victory at the state tournament this season.
“These are wonderful young ladies, but they’re learning and they’re growing,” Ambrose coach Kirk Crager said. “I think if we can get mental discipline down, we have all the tools in our tool belt, so to speak, to succeed next year.”
Malad, last year’s state runner-up, felt at home Saturday on the hardwood at the Ford Idaho Center, jumping out to a 9-0 lead and never trailing. The Dragons led 39-25 at the half, taking advantage of foul trouble for two of the Archers’ top scorers: Curran and sophomore guard Amelia Alexander.
“We just ran into a team that’s very well-disciplined and very well-organized, and just great shooters and great size inside that we don’t have,” Crager said. “It was a tough game. We stuck with them for a little bit. I think the foul trouble definitely was a huge factor in the game.”
Curran had 18 of her team-leading 21 points by halftime, but she played only a little more than 4 minutes in the second half, fouling out with 4:06 remaining in the fourth quarter. Alexander followed Curran to the bench with five fouls a few minutes later with the Dragons (24-2) already leading 51-33.
Sophomore guard Bryley Tadman totaled seven points, three rebounds and one assist for Ambrose, and sophomore guard Claire Johnston added six points, six rebounds, two steals and one assist.
But Malad’s experienced lineup, featuring five seniors, proved too much for the Archers to contain. Five players scored in double figures, led by senior guard Mikell Keetch with 14 points and five rebounds. Junior Paityn Ward (13 points), senior Olivia Nelson (11 points, 12 rebounds), senior Brynnlee Jones (10 points) and senior Izzy Haycock (10 points) added to the offensive onslaught for the Dragons.
Saturday’s victory marked the second state championship in program history for Malad, which won its only other title in 1993.
“Nobody had Ambrose on their radar this year for the state championship game, guaranteed,” Crager said. “So we just told the girls that we’ve far exceeded expectations. They should not have their heads down at all. They should be thankful.”
IDAHO 5A GIRLS BASKETBALL STATE TOURNAMENT
JEROME 37, BISHOP KELLY 34: Tied at 28-all heading into the fourth quarter, the Tigers outscored the Knights 9-6 in the final frame to secure the consolation title Saturday at Mountain View High School in Meridian.
Bishop Kelly forward Aubree McCarthy led the way with 17 points, highlighted by a 5-for-9 performance from 3-point range. Senior Ava Batt chipped in six points, and junior Julia Baerlocher added four points.
IDAHO 4A GIRLS BASKETBALL STATE TOURNAMENT
KIMBERLY 62, WEISER 56: Junior guard Taya Plew erupted for 29 points to lead the Bulldogs to a win over the Wolverines in the consolation championship Saturday at Skyview High School in Nampa.
Plew finished 11-for-22 from the field and added 11 rebounds, five steals, two blocks and one assist.
Sophomore Alyvia Goff (17 points), senior Porter Hart (13 points) and senior Ellie Shirts (10 points) all reached double figures for Weiser (15-8).
IDAHO 2A GIRLS BASKETBALL STATE TOURNAMENT
LIBERTY CHARTER 43, LAKESIDE 38: Senior guard Sophie Criddle posted a double-double of 20 points and 15 rebounds to lead the Patriots to the consolation title Saturday at Columbia High School in Nampa.
Junior guard Aveyah Flores totaled 11 points and nine rebounds for Liberty Charter (18-9), which brought home the consolation trophy for the third time in program history.
IDAHO 1A GIRLS BASKETBALL STATE TOURNAMENT
SALMON RIVER 42, MACKAY 39: The Savages fell behind by eight points in the first quarter but roared back to claim the third-place trophy Saturday at Owyhee High School in Meridian.
Senior guard Rylee Walters led the way with 18 points, 11 rebounds, five steals, five blocked shots and one assist. Walters was a perfect 11-for-11 at the free-throw line to help Salmon River overcome a 25.5% shooting performance.
Freshman Poppy Harper contributed 10 points, five rebounds and five steals, and junior Taylor Ewing had nine points for the Savages, which finished the season 25-1 overall.
