For the week of December 11 - 17, 2002

Mackay nips Carey 49-47 in holiday finale

Panthers start 2-1

---

Carey School boys’ varsity basketball coach Dick Simpson wasn’t complaining too much about the results of the first week of Carey’s 2002-03 season on the hardwoods.

Two victories and one narrow loss got Carey’s feet wet—and the Panthers very nearly bumped off Mackay Saturday night in the championship game of the Carey Holiday Tourney.

"I thought we had them," said Simpson after Carey’s 49-47 loss to Mackay. On Friday night, Carey beat Challis by a bucket, 59-57. "Hey, Challis is a good team and Mackay is a good team. We were right there."

Carey’s foot speed and hot shooting sparked the Panthers to a 16-4 first-quarter lead over Mackay. But the Miners stuck to their patient offense, worked it inside and ended up out-rebounding Carey 39-25.

The first Mackay lead of the game came with a minute left in regulation when junior T.J. Park (12 points) sliced through the Carey defense and scored for a 48-46 Miner lead. Park scored his team’s final 8 points, rallying Mackay from a 46-41 deficit.

Leading Carey scorer Shawn Hennefer (16 points, 3 assists) had a good look at a potential game-winning shot from the top of the key at two seconds, but it bounced off the rim.

With senior John Saili still mending a knee injury, Carey senior Destry Simpson had to contribute on the boards, and he did it well. Simpson tallied 10 of his 15 points in the second half and pulled down 12 boards.

Ty Simmons added two 3-pointers while K.C. Rivera had 2 points, 3 reboiunds, 5 steals and 4 assists. Blake Surerus had 3 points, 3 boards.

Mackay’s Justin Gillish accounted for 18 points and 9 boards, Wrangler Williams 7 points and 7 rebounds, Chance Pehrson 13 rebounds, Ryan Donahue 7 points and 6 boards.

In Friday’s back-and-forth nailbiter against Challis, Surerus (11 points) secured the go-ahead basket in the final minute for Carey. Hennefer finished with 20 points, Simmons 12, Simpson 6, Stephen Jurgensmeier 4 and Robbie Ellsworth 4.

Thursday night, Carey opened its season with a 53-42 non-conference victory over Oakley. Hennefer (16 points, two 3s) and Simmons (14 points) led the way as the Panthers rallied from a 24-23 halftime deficit.

Carey ran the court well and converted baskets from defensive pressure in a 30-point second half effort. Simpson added 8 points, Surerus 4, Rivera 4 and Jurgensmeier 4. Ammon McBride topped Oakley with 12.

The Panthers travel to the Murtaugh tournament this weekend.

 

The Idaho Mountain Express is distributed free to residents and guests throughout the Sun Valley, Idaho resort area community. Subscribers to the Idaho Mountain Express will read these stories and others in this week's issue.