Wednesday, January 4, 2006

Wolverine boys host Jerome as prep sports resume

Great Basin Conference West game tonight in Hailey


By JEFF CORDES
Express Staff Writer

Wood River coach Fred Trenkle goes over some strategy with junior guard David Sibrian Photo by David N. Seelig

For a great sports evening, check out tonight's Wood River-Jerome boys' basketball game at the Hailey gym and you'll be home in plenty of time for the conclusion of the NCAA college football championship game between USC and Texas.

Coach Fred Trenkle's Wood River Wolverines (4-4, 3-2 home, 0-1 league) will be trying to win their first game over two seasons in the Great Basin Conference West league—and Jerome's shooters will be looking for their first league win.

It's the first highlight game of a post-holiday week that also includes the top-ranked Carey boys' basketball team traveling to Richfield Friday night.

Trenkle's Wolverines fell to Jerome three times last season—by 15, 6 and 7 points—but the Hailey boys have used balanced scoring and improved defense to double their victory total from last winter. Jerome (6-4, 0-1 league) lost its league game 55-51 at Burley Dec. 20.

"I think we can stay in the flow and control the tempo enough to make it a good game," said Trenkle about the Jerome match-up. "The questions that need to be answered by February are, can we guard on the perimeter and get enough from our big guys?

"Jerome is very much like Minico—a bunch of athletic, running and 3-point shooting kids. And I thought we really played well at Minico (a 51-48 loss Dec. 17). But we don't have a lot of margin for error, and I'm still waiting for someone to step up and make a basketball play when we need it."

The Wolverines will have to respect Jerome's outside shooting led by junior guard David Prescott, who averages 16.0 ppg and hits three 3-pointers each game. Other threats for first-year Tiger coach Marty Espinoza are senior double-digit scorer Zack Dietz and 6-3 senior Brett Boesiger.

A Wood River victory over Jerome would signify parity in the 4A Great Basin. Reigning league tournament champ Burley (3-4, 1-0) hosts Twin Falls tonight, Wednesday and visits Minico (4-4, 1-0) Saturday.

Trenkle said Wood River matches up well with Burley, both teams relying on big men, while Jerome and Minico are alike in their outside shooting.

Wood River travels to Pocatello Thursday and then entertains the Kimberly Bulldogs Saturday, Jan. 7 in a 5 p.m. matinee at the Hailey gym.

Other prep hoops action

Was Carey's 52-43 boys' basketball loss at Clark County Dec. 21 a fluke or a trend?

After shooting the lights out all December, the top-ranked Panthers (8-1, 3-0 league) had a bad shooting night. They pop-gunned 30% from 2-point range (41% average) and 20% from the 3-point arc (40% average).

Coach Dick Simpson's Panthers looked to get back on track Tuesday night in a Northside Conference home game against Bliss.

On Friday, Jan. 6, Carey travels to fourth-ranked Richfield (7-1). The reigning Northside kings, Richfield had a start similar to Carey—winning its first seven games then losing 53-50 at Mackay Dec. 17. Carey returns and hosts the Oakley Hornets Saturday, Jan. 7.

Meanwhile, The Community School boys (1-4, 1-1) go on the road to Dietrich tonight, Wednesday and visit Bliss Friday. Then the Cutthroats entertain Camas County Saturday, Jan. 8 for a 5:30 p.m. matinee and go to Shoshone Tuesday.

Carey remains the top girls' team in the area, ranked eighth in the Idahosports.com poll. The Panthers of Hollis Pincock (9-3, 4-1) are on a three-game winning streak, but they have two tough games this week.

The Panthers travel to sixth-ranked Dietrich (11-3) Thursday and then host Oakley Saturday in Carey. Oakley is a tough defensive team that dropped a 35-32 game at Richfield Dec. 21. Carey staved off the host Hornets 55-52 Nov. 17.

In Hailey, the Wood River girls (1-10, 0-3 league) tried to snap a six-game losing skid Tuesday night at home against the Gooding Senators (10-3). The Wolverines host Minico (4-8) Thursday, Jan. 5 in a Great Basin Conference West game. Minico has lost four straight.

The Community School girls (1-4, 0-4 league) resumed action Tuesday night at Dietrich, and the Cutthroats entertain Camas County Saturday at 2:30 p.m.




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