Friday’s prep basketball recap: No. 1 Middleton shows why it’s the team to beat in 4A SIC
Fighting for first place in the conference is sweet. But taking on your longtime rival to do so is even sweeter.
Against a sea of Bishop Kelly fans, the No. 1-ranked Middleton boys basketball team walked into rival territory and escaped with a 60-55 victory over the Knights on Friday, taking sole possession of first place in the 4A Southern Idaho Conference in a battle of preseason league co-favorites.
“This environment doesn’t happen often, so I told our guys to embrace it,” Middleton coach Nate Hartman said. “I told them to feed off the crowd and feed off their crowd. This was a big matchup, but we’ve worked for these things.”
Middleton (8-1, 3-0 4A SIC) controlled the tempo early with a pair of 3-pointers from junior guard Talmage Stucki to take an early 15-8 lead. With four Middleton triples in a 10-minute span, the Vikings looked to run away with the game.
Following a timeout, a flurry of baskets from senior forward Blake Hawthorne helped Bishop Kelly (7-4, 3-1) spark an 11-4 run to cut the deficit to two. But Stucki was up for the challenge. Two 3-pointers in the span of a minute put the Vikings up 39-28, highlighting Stucki’s team-high 19 points on the night.
“That kid is a baller,” Middleton senior forward Tyler Medaris said. “He stepped up big time and he’s ready for that spotlight.”
Bishop Kelly cut the deficit to 58-55 late in the fourth quarter. But with a chance to tie the game, a Middleton takeaway and lob pass found Medaris — the reigning 4A All-Idaho Player of the Year — for a two-hand dunk to seal the win for the Vikings.
“Tyler is phenomenal,” Hartman said. “He’s a Division I athlete, and he’s an elite defender, leader and teammate. We have seven juniors on our team who haven’t been in this environment, but Tyler’s the one who carries them and gets them going along the way.”
Medaris’ 17 points helped put Middleton in the driver’s seat of the conference, but the Vikings believe they have much more to prove going forward.
“It is our role to lock up that No. 1 seed and be the conference champ,” Hartman said. “We’re not there yet, but this (win) is a step to get there. Anytime you come on the road and get a win, I’m happy and proud of our guys.”
FRIDAY’S STANDOUTS
Austin Ramos, Meridian (boys basketball): Sank a last-second runner to lead the Warriors to a come-from-behind, 40-39 over Mountain View in the annual Stinky Sneaker rivalry game. Meridian (5-5, 4-1 4A SIC) trailed by as many as 11 points in the second half.
Gavin Gordon, Kuna (boys basketball): Scored 24 points and added eight rebounds as the Kavemen knocked off Rocky Mountain 54-53.
Jakin Calhoun, Vallivue (boys basketball): Recorded a double-double of 23 points and 12 rebounds as the Falcons routed Caldwell 64-38.
Caden Young, Emmett (boys basketball): Racked up 22 points and 14 rebounds while shooting 69% from the floor in the Huskies’ 60-48 win over Nampa.
Carson Atwood, Nampa Christian (boys basketball): Led the Trojans to a 49-46 win at Cole Valley Christian with 18 points, 11 rebounds and three assists.
Tyson Hughes, Ambrose (boys basketball): Sank six 3-pointers en route to 27 points in the Archers’ 81-38 win at Marsing that kept No. 1 Ambrose undefeated (10-0, 4-0 2A WIC).
Connor Hawker, New Plymouth (boys basketball): Poured in 28 points to lead the Pilgrims to an 87-33 win at Vision Charter.
BOYS BASKETBALL SCORES, STATS
GIRLS BASKETBALL SCORES, STATS
This story was originally published January 8, 2022 at 1:51 AM.
