Scores, updates: Idaho high school boys basketball state tournament 2024 (2/29/2024)
MERIDIAN, Idaho - It was hard to tell.
That the Ridgevue boys basketball team was playing in its first-ever state tournament game that is.
The Warhawks weren’t intimidated or phased by the newfound stage in their 57-49 win over Twin Falls during the opening round of the Class 4A State Tournament Thursday at Rocky Mountain High School.
Ridgevue (16-7) will play top-seed Pocatello (20-5) at noon inside the Ford Idaho Center.
“I didn’t feel any nerves from them today,” Ridgevue coach Daniel Vint said. “I think they’re out there with the mentality that they’ve got nothing to lose, and that’s what we’ve been talking about.
“We’ve already done something with this program that they’ve never done before, and they're just at the point where they’re just playing with no fear and they’re just playing for each other.”
Dawson Phillips and Javonte Boles combined for 27 points. Phillips led the way with 14 points on better than 62% shooting, including 3 3-pointers. Boles was right behind with 13 points and flirted with a double-double with eight boards for the Warhawks (16-7), who hadn’t posted a winning season before this year, as well.
They were 61 games under .500 (48-109) in their previous seven years of existence heading into this season. Vint came over from Eagle in 2021. He had never coached at the varsity level before with a combined four years of experience between the Mustangs’ sophomore and junior varsity teams.
“I was looking for a head coaching job for one, but the challenge of starting with the team trying to build it up from the ground up, was exciting for me,” Vint said. “And when we came in, it was a little rough.”
That’s a little bit of an understatement.
The Warhawks went just 15-32 during his first two years at the helm. They lost by an average of more than 12 points per game and had losing streaks of three or more games five times. The most games in a row Ridgevue won during that span was three and that only happened once.
But fast forward to Thursday, and it was coming off what was the biggest win in program history. The Warhawks upset perennial power and third-ranked Bishop Kelly for their first-ever district championship. It was also their very first win over the Knights.
“When you suffer with guys and when you succeed with them, it makes it even better,” Boles said. “ … When you get a tight group like this, it’s just great. It’s like a family.”
The Warhawks fell into an early 10-7 hole in the opening quarter, but a free throw from Kaimana Nielson sparked a 9-0 run. They never trailed again.
There was a close call, though.
The Bruins (15-11) cut the deficit down to one point at 31-30 following a trey by Logan Pittard with 2 minutes and 33 seconds remaining in the third quarter. But Phillips, an Owyhee transfer, got to the lane and scored while getting fouled just moments later. It was the start of a 9-2 run over the next two minutes that put Ridgevue up by seven at 40-33.
Twin Falls didn’t get any closer than five points the rest of the way.
“We knew we were ready for the moment. We’ve been talking about the moment for a long time,” Phillips said. “We didn’t know when the moment was, but tonight was the moment.”
The Warhawks will look for another one Friday. But it won’t be easy.
The Thunder are the two-time reigning state runners up and have last year’s Class 4A State Player of the Year Julian Bowie on their roster. Bowie is also a Boise State commit.
Just don’t tell Ridgevue that.
“They don’t have any doubt in themselves, no matter what the game looks like,” Vint said. “I think that’s why they were able to do it, just so much confidence from these guys and a lot of experience playing together.”
Pittard and Jared Mix scored 15 points apiece for Twin Falls in the loss.
POCATELLO 77, SANDPOINT 42
Julian Bowie tallied 21 points on 10-of-17 shooting to go with six rebounds and five assists as the Thunder (20-5) eased into their third straight state semifinal.
Kesler Vaughan added 10 points for Pocatello, which never trailed and led by as many as 43 points even with its backups in the game.
Parker Childs was the only Sandpoint (12-13) player to score in double figures with 17 points in the loss.
HILLCREST 73, BLACKFOOT 59
Ike Sutton racked up a game-high 23 points and six assists as the top-ranked Knights (18-6) kept their three-peat aspirations alive.
BYU signee Isaac Davis put up a double-double of 19 points and 10 rebounds. Titan Larsen and Talan Taylor added 11 and 10 points, respectively, for Hillcrest in the win.
The Knights will play Bishop Kelly (19-5) in the semifinals at 2 p.m. Friday at the Ford Idaho Center.
Colby Bodkin had 16 points for the Broncos (11-14) in the loss.
BISHOP KELLY 54, MINICO 38
Michigan State football signee Rakeem Johnson posted 11 points and seven rebounds as the Knights advanced to the state semifinals for the first time in three years.
Carson Wayment had eight points for the Spartans (13-11) in the loss
5A
MADISON 46, CAPITAL 38
Barrett Wilson racked up a double-double with a game-high 27 points and 11 rebounds as the Bobcats (23-2) won their 19th consecutive game in the opening round of the Class 5A Tournament at the Ford Idaho Center.
It was all Wilson as the next closest Madison player totaled just six points.
The Bobcats will now play No. 1 Owyhee (22-3), which beat them earlier in the season by 19 points, in the semifinals at 5 p.m. Friday at the Ford Idaho Center.
Ibrahim Talaso had 11 points for the Eagles (17-9) in the loss.
OWYHEE 62, MIDDLETON 38
The duo of Liam Campbell and Jackson Rasmussen outscored the Vikings themselves as the Storm cruised into the state semifinals with their first-round win.
Campebll, who is a USC signee, scored a game-high 23 points. He also had five rebounds and three steals.
Rasmussen was right behind with 20 points for the Storm, who never trailed.
Tye Cornwall had 12 points for Middleton (15-10) in the loss.
COEUR D’ALENE 60, LAKE CITY 49
Caden Symons led three different players in double figures with 18 points as the Vikings are into the state semifinals for the first time since 2011.
Carter Rupp was right behind with 16 points and Logan Orchard rounded it out with 11.
Coeur d’Alene (21-3) will play Timberline (21-4) in the semis at 7 p.m. Friday inside the Ford Idaho Center.
Reese Strawn had 17 points for the Timberwolves (16-10) in the loss.
TIMBERLINE 49, EAGLE 32
Alex Ko recorded 14 points as the Timberwolves won their first playoff game in 12 years.
Reece Elder also broke the double-digit barrier with 10 points for Timberline in the win.
Russell Gibson had a team-high eight points for the Mustangs (17-10) in the loss.
