For the week of December 24 - 30, 2003

Panthers get the jump on Northside rivals

Carey (6-1) adds two league wins

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In the wide-open Northside Conference race, the Carey School boys’ varsity basketball team got a leg up on its pursuers with two key league wins before the Christmas holiday.

K.C. Rivera, Carey senior guard, helped break open a close game with an outstanding second-quarter effort in Friday’s 56-47 win over The Community School in Sun Valley. Express photo by David N. Seelig

Coach Dick Simpson’s #3-ranked Panthers (6-1, 2-0 league) rallied past the upset-minded Camas County Mushers 59-46 Thursday in Carey, then the visiting Panthers dumped The Community School 56-47 Friday.

Four Panthers topped by Ty Simmons (18 points) scored in double figures in Friday’s win at Sun Valley.

The Panthers aren’t deep, but they’ve reeled off four consecutive wins and are averaging 65.0 ppg with five starters who are averaging 8.3 ppg at the least, to 18.9 ppg at the most. It’s a well-balanced offensive attack.

Thursday, Camas County built a 15-10 first-quarter lead that the Panthers erased with a suffocating defense in the middle quarters. Carey outscored the Mushers 40-19 in the second and third and won by 13.

Sophomore Tyler Cook (three 3-pointers, 18 season) scored 10 of his 15 points in Carey’s 25-point second quarter. Senior Blake Surerus (11.7 ppg) added 9 of his team-high 16 points in the second stanza.

Simmons (18.9 ppg) added 12 points, Tadd Green 8, Devin Simpson 6 and K.C. Rivera 2 for Carey. For Camas County, Mark Wilson ended up with 19 points and Steve Vouch chipped in with 13.

With one league win under its belt, Carey turned its attention to Friday’s road trip to the highly-regarded Community School. It was nip-and-tuck in a first quarter that featured one tie and six lead changes.

Community School senior John Hayes tallied 8 of his game-high 19 points in the first quarter including two of the four Cutthroat 3-pointers. Sun Valley led 15-13 at the break.

But Carey senior K.C. Rivera picked up the pace and was very aggressive on offense and defense in the second. Rivera chased down rebounds and drilled his first two 3-pointers of the season to put Carey up 21-15—and the Panthers never trailed again.

Rivera had 6 points, 3 rebounds, 3 steals and 2 assists in the second quarter alone. Sophomore teammate Tadd Green chipped in with 6 points as Carey out-pointed the Cutthroats 16-10 for a 29-25 half-time cushion.

Carey’s strategy of using a zone defense against the Cutthroats paid off in the second half, when the Panthers limited Sun Valley big man Jimmy Fairchild to 2 points. Fairchild ended up with 8 points, 14 rebounds and 4 steals, but the Cutthroats couldn’t mount a rally without his scoring.

The Panther lead, never more than eight, shriveled to three when Dylan McIlhenny (13 points, 6 rebounds, 2 steals, 5 assists) drilled a 3-pointer, from Hayes, for a 45-42 game at the 2:36 mark. But Carey had an answer every time the Cutthroats threatened, usually on strong moves to the basket.

Carey’s Cook (5 rebounds, 5 assists) penetrated and dished to Surerus, who scored for a 47-42 lead. McIlhenny made a baseliner runner to keep it close, but Carey started parading to the free throw line and finished 8-for-14 in the final period—Simmons sinking 4-of-5 down the homestretch.

Before Christmas, Carey (3-0 road) is now 6-1 and 2-0 in league. Camas County is 4-1, and 2-1 in league. The Cutthroats are 5-2, and 1-1 in league. Other Northside teams: Shoshone (2-5, 1-2); Dietrich (3-6, 1-2); Richfield (3-4, 2-1); and Bliss (1-6, 0-2).

Carey is ranked third behind Notus and Mackay, while The Community School has dropped out of the top ten in the Idahosports.com 1A poll.

Carey resumes action Saturday, Jan. 3 at Dietrich. Friday’s stats:

Carey 56-47 over Community School: For Carey—Ty Simmons 18 points, Blake Surerus 12, Tadd Green 12, K.C. Rivera 10, Tyler Cook 2, Devin Simpson 2. Rebounds (32)—Simmons 7, Rivera 7, Surerus 6, Green 5, Cook 5, Simpson 2. Steals (12)—Rivera 5, Simmons 2, Cook 2, Green 2. Assists—Cook 5, Rivera 4, Simmons 2. Blocked shots—Surerus 3.

The Community School—John Hayes 19 points, Dylan McIlhenny 13, Jimmy Fairchild 8, Luc McCann 3, Andrew Durtschi 2, Connor Wade 2. Rebounds (36)—Fairchild 14, McIlhenny 6, McCann 5, Hayes 4, Durtschi 3, Logan Koffler 2, A.J. Beesley 2. Steals (9)—Fairchild 4, Hayes 2, McIhenny 2. Assists—McIlhenny 5, Hayes 4, McCann 2, Koffler 2. Blocked shots—Fairchild 2.

 

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