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Welcome to "What's On Tap," where we'll highlight the games on the IdahoSports.com broadcast schedule. Most of these games just happen to be the best matchups around the state. If there's a big game on tap on IdahoSports.com, we'll break it down for you right here, each and every week.
Tuesday, Jan. 14th
Weiser at McCall-Donnelly (Girls Basketball)
7:30 PM
Watch Live
The standings atop the 4A Snake River Valley Conference are tight. McCall-Donnelly leads the way with a 4-0 mark, but Fruitland and Weiser are both 3-1 and right on the Vandals' heels. The Wolverines (10-2) overall just lost to Fruitland, so coach Laraine Harrison's squad needs a win at home. Kailee Lerrew and Ellie Shirts will lead Weiser into battle against a McCall-Donnelly team that is 8-7 overall against a very rigorous schedule. The Arnold sisters (Lexie, Rylee, and Shilah; part of a set of quadruplets along with brother Maddox) are all important pieces, as is junior Emma Ormsby, who leads the team in scoring at 10.1 points per game.
Firth at Malad (Girls Basketball)
7:30 PM
Watch Live
Mighty Malad (14-1 overall) has been Idaho's top-ranked 3A girls basketball team the entire season, and for good reason. Their only loss came to 4A Bear Lake in the season opener, and their resume is filled with wins over fellow 3A teams that expect to be at state: Parma, Melba, Soda Springs, Ririe, Firth, West Jefferson, etc. The Dragons defeated Firth at the Ririe Bulldog Shootout in December 76-50, and if the Cougars (7-6 overall) want to close the gap, they'll need to be efficient with the basketball. Malad has superior depth and length, so Firth will need to turn takeaways into fast break points to hang with the Dragons.
Skyline at Blackfoot (Girls Basketball)
7:30 PM
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First place is on the line between these 5A High Country Conference rivals. Skyline (5-0 HCC, 10-6 overall) is headlined by senior Shay Shippen, a Division I commit to Columbia. The point forward leads Skyline in nearly every category, averaging 24.9 points per game, 10.8 rebounds per game, 3.1 assists per game, 3.3 steals per game, and 1.2 blocks per game. Sophomore guard Macy Marlow has developed nicely as well, averaging 9.9 PPG, 4.5 RPG, 2.7 APG and 2.6 SPG. Blackfoot (4-1 HCC, 10-4 overall) fell to Shelley by two points, 63-61, for their only conference loss of the season, so there's slightly more pressure on coach Raimee Odum's squad. Senior Addison Tanner leads the Broncos with 14 PPG, but the scoring is more evenly distributed among the roster than at Skyline. Blackfoot also has the size advantage with senior posts Sara Hone (6-foot) and Cambrie Waterhouse (6-foot-1), so Shippen will have to hold her own down low for Skyline to have success.
Thursday, Jan. 16th
Lapwai at Prairie (Girls Basketball)
6:00 PM (PT)
Watch Live
Death, taxes and Lapwai and Prairie tussling for 2A Whitepine League supremacy. The last time the Wildcats and Pirates didn't both finish in the top two of the league standings was more than a decade ago, in the 2012-13 season. Starting with the 2013-14 campaign, these teams are a combined 483-93 (.839 winning percentage). Lapwai (7-0 WPL, 10-1 overall) is led by Skylin Picard and Lois Oatman. The Wildcats lost for the first time last week to 3A Grangeville in a non-conference battle. Prairie (6-0, 9-1) is led by senior guard Lexi Schumacher, who crossed the 1,000 point mark for her career last week. The Pirates' only loss this year is to Oakley.
Melba at Parma (Girls Basketball)
7:30 PM
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At first glance, this 3A Western Idaho Conference showdown appears to be a battle of evenly matched teams, as Parma (5-0 WIC, 13-1 overall) and Melba (4-1, 11-3) have been ranked in the media poll most of this year. But the question that lingers over this game is: how much has Melba closed the gap with Parma? The Panthers put the clamps on the Mustangs earlier this season in a 47-15 romp. Rylie Calkins will contend for 3A State Player of the Year honors, and fe4llow senior Kaidance Kaiser is also an important piece for the Panthers. Melba has won four games in a row since that setback to Parma, and will rely on senior Tariah Carter and junior Darby Lowber.
West Side at Declo (Boys Basketball)
7:30 PM
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This is not just a battle for supremacy in the 3A South East Idaho Conference, but the winner could take the mantle of "Best 3A Team in the State." Declo (2-0 SEIC, 11-0 overall) currently holds that distinction, but West Side (2-0, 10-2) is also ranked in both the Media and Coaches Poll. Declo coach Jacoby Fox has a tough, relentless defense that is only allowing 38.4 points per game, tops in the entire classification. West Side, meanwhile, has the third best defense among 3A teams, allowing 47.2 PPG. First team to 40 might win this one.
Marsh Valley at Sugar-Salem (Boys Basketball)
7:30 PM
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The Diggers (10-2 overall) have been ranked in the Media and Coaches Polls for some time, and are a handful of plays away from still being undefeated. Sugar-Salem's only setbacks this year came in a 60-59 loss to Filer to open the season, and a 60-58 loss to Century at the East Idaho Holiday Shootout. There's not one star that leads this team, which is why they're so tough to defeat. Ace Clark, Abe Baldwin, Riley Williams, Tyler Williams and Hank Carter are all capable of leading the team in scoring on any given night. Marsh Valley, meanwhile, is just 5-6 to start the year, but this is a program that's been to state in five of the past six seasons. Justis Whitworth headlines a group of strong athletes that only fell by twelve points (64 to 52) when they faced the Diggers earlier this year.
Friday, Jan. 17th
Lakeland at Sandpoint (The Battle for the Paddle)
4:00 PM (PT)
Watch Live (Girls Basketball)
Watch Live (Wrestling)
Watch Live (Boys Basketball)
One of North Idaho's most spirited rivalries resumes with the annual "Battle for the Paddle" between Lakeland and Sandpoint. The annual event features a variety of scoring criteria, including school spirit, fundraising, and of course, athletics. The funds raised between the two schools go towards a charitable cause, and good sportsmanship and citizenship are fostered throughout the event. The athletic events on display start with a girls basketball game at 4:00 PM, followed by a wrestling dual, and the evening concludes with a boys basketball contest. Lakeland's girls (1-3 Inland Empire League, 9-4 overall) defeated Sandpoint (3-2, 7-8) in the first battle, 60-50. Senior Landree Simon scored 21 points in the win, and sophomore Macy Bretveld added 19. Sandpoint's sophomore duo of Jordyn Tomco (17 points) and Brecken Mire (16 points) paced the Bulldogs. Wrestlers to keep an eye on include Lakeland's Zach Teal (98 pounds), Carson Leonard (120 pounds) and Jaren Knopp (126 pounds), and Sandpoint's Jorden Tyler (190 pounds) and Jackson Holman (215 pounds). The boys basketball game will be the first meeting between the two rivals. Lakeland (1-2 IEL, 6-5 overall) is led by senior point guard Mason Hensley and 6-foot-6 junior center Brayden Carrel. Sandpoint (0-1, 3-7) leans on 6-foot-7 Logan Roos and 6-foot-5 Emerik Jones.
Snake River at Kimberly (Boys Basketball)
7:30 PM
Watch Live
Depending on who you ask, Snake River (10-1) is the best 4A boys basketball team in the entire state. The Panthers' only loss is to 5A Bonneville, and Snake River already has a win over Kimberly (3-9) this season. In fact, the Panthers are 5-0 against District 4 competition (two wins over Buhl and Filer, and the 67-41 win over Kimberly in December). 6-foot-5 senior Marcus Coombs is a double-double machine, Blackfoot transfer Dawson Jackman has steadied the guard position, and 6-foot-9 sophomore Bridjer Howard has size that simply can't be matched. Kimberly put together an extremely aggressive schedule, so their sub-.500 mark is deceiving. Senior guards Broden Anthony and Ryker Larson led an athletic Bulldogs team.
Dietrich at Rockland (Boys Basketball)
7:30 PM
Watch Live
This is a non-conference showdown of top-five ranked teams in Class 1A boys basketball. Rockland is 9-1 this season, with their only setback being a ten-point loss to 2A Butte County. Dietrich is 10-1, and their only loss came in the season opener against 2A Valley. These teams have two common opponents thus far, but gleaning any info from those results is a wash at best: Rockland defeated Murtaugh by twenty, while Dietrich defeated the Red Devils by 11 (but needed overtime to finish the job). Similarly, Rockland squeaked by Carey 43-42, while Dietrich defeated the Panthers by eleven last week.
Saturday, Jan. 18th
Nezperce at Deary (Doubleheader)
2:00 PM (PT)
Watch Live (Girls Basketball)
Watch Live (Boys Basketball)
This 1A Whitepine League doubleheader is all about building momentum for the stretch drive of the regular season. The Deary girls (3-2 WPL, 7-2 overall) came into the season with high expectations after becoming a mainstay at state the past several years, but two separate five-point losses to Genesee and Highland have the Mustangs looking up at both in the league standings. The Nezperce girls (3-3, 4-6) have lost to Genesee twice this year, and also have an excruciating 32-31 loss to Highland on their resume. The boys game should be similarly matched. Nezperce (5-1 WPL, 7-2 overall) lost to league leader Clearwater Valley in their season opener, and will play the Rams two nights before this showdown with Deary. Deary is 4-2 in league play, but 4-5 overall against a tough schedule.
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