A record-setting season for the Wood River High School girls' basketball team is over, wrapped up with an excruciating 48-47 overtime loss to the Minico Spartans in Monday's elimination game of the Great Basin Conference tournament.
It was a battle all the way, but #2-seeded Minico (14-8) eked out a free throw to win on its Rupert homecourt over #4-seeded Wood River (17-7). The 17 victories exceeded the previous school record of 16 set by the Wolverine squad of 2002-03.
Scoring for Wood River in its final game of a memorable season were Tristin Bowers 11 points, Kaitana Martinez 10, Monica Garceau 8, Cheyenne Swanson 6, Haylee Thompson 5, Allie Hesteness 3, Grace Lagodich 2 and Alex Lindbloom 2.
On Saturday, Wood River set the school record for wins with a 38-14 home triumph over Burley (11-12). The stingy Wolverine defense limited Burley to just three field goals for the entire game, and only three points after half. Wood River out-rebounded Burley 23-9.
Leading scorer Martinez (11.2 ppg) topped Wood River with 14 points, 3 assists and two 3-pointers. Tristin Bowers (6.8 ppg) added 6 points, Garceau 6, Swanson 5 points and 3 rebounds, Lindbloom 3 points and 2 assists, Lagodich 2 points and 3 boards, Thompson 5 rebounds and 2 assists, Hesteness 2 points and 2 steals.
Wood River finished with an outstanding 11-1 home record and improved its season-long scoring average to 43.6 ppg, 10 points better than last season.
Dietrich beats Carey girls in Northside tourney
The #2-seeded Dietrich Blue Devils (17-4) held host Carey to just nine points in the first half and went on to a 45-35 victory in Monday's second round of the six-school Northside Conference girls' tourney in Carey.
Carey's Jessica Parke (12 points) and Dietrich's Shayla Porter (11) were scoring leaders. Dietrich advanced to play top-seeded Richfield (19-2) in the championship game tonight, Wednesday at 7:30 p.m. at Carey. Meanwhile, Carey will play in tonight's 6 p.m. elimination game if the Panthers beat The Community School on Tuesday night.
Thursday's second-place game at 7 p.m. at Carey will determine the league's second berth to the State 1A Division 2 tournament in Nampa Feb. 18.
