The Lakeland basketball teams had little time to enjoy Christmas before heading to south Idaho to participate in the East Idaho Holiday Shootout.
Shortly after Christmas, both teams competed in a tournament with other schools around Idaho. Both teams were the tournament champion in the three-point contest. Seniors Kenton Ferguson and Payton Sterling each took home the three-point title.
Lakeland’s boys’ team (5-4) faced three schools: Skyline, Snake River and Bonneville.
The Hawks opened the tournament with an overtime victory against Skyline 77-74. This game was somewhat of a repeat of Lakeland’s heartbreaking home loss against Moscow. The only difference was that the momentum swung in the Hawks’ direction when it mattered. They squeezed out the win in overtime courtesy of a pair of clutch Peyton Hillman free throws.
“I just blocked everything out and focused on my shot,” sophomore Peyton Hillman said.
The Hawks did not feel good about how they played throughout the game.
“It was not our greatest game. We definitely should have won,” Ferguson said.
Snake River was too much for Lakeland to handle throughout the entire game. Lakeland outscored them by nine in the second quarter, but Snake River already had a firm lead 77-55.
“They were a really athletic team and also ran a defense we had never seen before,” Ferguson said.
Lakeland kept it pretty even against Bonneville and led at halftime. Unfortunately, they underperformed in the second half and gave up the lead 62-53.
During the tournament, Lakeland’s star players consisted of Ben Roth, Ferguson and Gabe Harris. They were consistent scorers and truly helped the team throughout the tournament.
The girls team (4-5) also competed in the East Idaho Holiday Shootout. Lakeland faced off against Pocatello, Idaho Falls and Teton.
Lakeland kept the game close against Pocatello; the game was sent into overtime with the score knotted at 55, but the Hawks lost their touch in overtime, only scoring one point, while Pocatello scored 11. It ended in Pocatello’s favor 66-56.
“It was my favorite game because we played well as a team,” junior Landree Simon said.
For their next game in the tournament, Lakeland dominated Idaho Falls, 75-53. Lakeland kept a stable lead throughout every quarter.
Lakeland’s final matchup did not go as well. Teton reversed the roles and dominated Lakeland. With a 20-point difference in score, it is easy to tell that Teton controlled the court the entire game with an astonishing score of 61-41.
“It was our hardest game because we did not get our rebounds,” Simon said.
Lila Kiefer and Landree Simon were some of the top players for the girls, always scoring high and figuring out the other teams quickly.
This event was more than just a moment of competition for the players.
“I thought it was a nice trip overall,” Hillman said.
Team building is essential for high school teams, connecting the players more personally than just players. Allowing them to be so close to each other and connected, they get the chance to learn about each other and grow as a team.
Going to events like this also allows players to learn about more than just the schools around them. They get to see new play styles and different ways that teams communicate. Using this new knowledge, they can adapt their play styles and use them in their own games.
Both the girls and boys performed to the best of their ability, and both had some close games that could be resolved easily. This tournament was an essential part of preparing for state.
