By Piper Banning
It’s a busy night for Badger basketball as the high school boys launch districts at home tonight at 6 p.m. and the Boundary County Middle School boys basketball season kicks off at home this afternoon as the Badgers host the Priest River Spartans for three games in the BCMS gym, with the B Team under coach Jerry Jiminez hitting the boards at 4:30 p.m., the seventh grade A Team under coach Greg Kisser taking the floor at 5:30 p.m. and the eighth grade A Team under coach Shane Banning playing at 7:30 p.m.
“I am looking for good effort and competitive basketball,” Coach Shane Banning said of tonight’s games. (Publisher’s note: Piper Banning is Shane’s little sister and eighth grade assistant coach Jesse Banning is Shane and Piper’s father.)
BCMS boys travel to St. Maries on Saturday, with games beginning at noon.
With only two teams in this year’s Intermountain League tonight’s meeting with Timberlake in the high school gym is the first of at least two 3A district games, the second scheduled for 6 p.m. Thursday. If one team, say, the Badgers win both, the Badger season will continue to the Idaho State 3A Tournament at Meridian High School February 29 through March 2. If they split, the Tigers return to Bonners Ferry for a third game at 6 p.m. Friday and the winner of that game goes to state.
The Badgers, 18-3 in regular season play, beat Timberlake, 6-13, twice, 84-45 and 82-33. Badger fans home and away are welcome and encouraged to come on out and cheer them on to the state championship next week! Tickets are $6 at the door.