Pocatello survives another late rally for first Idaho state title game appearance in 13 years
NAMPA - Nothing has ever been easy for this team.
So why stop now?
The Pocatello High School boys basketball team staved off another late charge. Just like the Thunder did with a 1-point quarterfinal win over Burley on Thursday in the quarterfinals, they held on for a 75-72 victory over No. 3 Jerome Friday during the semifinals of the Idaho Class 4A State Tournament at the Ford Idaho Center.
No. 2 Pocatello (23-3) will play No. 1 Hillcrest (24-2) in its first state championship game since 2009 at 8 p.m. Saturday in the Ford Idaho Center.
“We fight through adversity,” senior Ryan Payne said. “We’re in Pocatello, Idaho, one of the weirdest places in the country. We’re ready for everything.”
The Thunder looked like it might ease into something for a change.
After nine lead changes through much of the first quarter, Pocatello opened up the game with a 13-2 run to take a 37-27 lead into the locker room.
Most of that had to do with Julian Bowie. The sophomore, who has several Division I offers, including Boise State, put up 21 first-half points. He shot 8 of 13 (61.5%) from the field, including 60% from 3-point range. Bowie did so despite dealing with a sore hip that he got during the aforementioned district tournament and knees, which were both wrapped in ice after the game.
“He willed us to a victory, especially that first half. He’s just tough,” Pocatello coach Joe Green said. “Playing a little bit banged up. Everyone is, but he’s one to do it and enjoy it. So we’ll keep riding him as long as we need to.”
The 21 points were fitting. Bowie wears a necklace with the No. 21 in honor of his father Lambert, who wore the jersey number back in the day. Lambert played basketball in California and Louisiana all while living in poverty. Bowie also spoke about his sister Timmie, who nearly died after a bout with aplastic anemia, which is a life-threatening disease that hinders the production of new cells required to replenish the current ones in the body.
“I just do everything for my family,” Bowie said.
But Bowie was held in check in the second half. He only managed three points on free throws. That was ok, though.
It was Payne’s turn.
He scored 17 of his 19 points in the second half, including what was arguably the biggest basket of the game.
The Tigers (23-3) quickly erased a 12-point lead nearly midway through the fourth quarter all the way down to one at 65-64 with 1 minute and 58 seconds remaining on a pair of free throws by junior Scott Cook - more on him in a moment.
However, Payne went right down the floor for a driving layin to give them a 3-point cushion just seconds later.
“At one point we just said, ‘We gotta enjoy this moment,’” Green said. “We can’t play afraid to lose like we did last night. I thought guys stepped up and made plays when we had to.”
Cook, who willed Jerome back in the game with 25 of his game-high 34 points in the second half, including 5 3-pointers, went cold down the stretch with multiple long-range misses. The only trey he made late was an uncontested meaningless one at the buzzer.
But when that final horn sounded, Pocatello didn’t act like a team that had overcome yet another obstacle.
There was no celebration to be found from someone who went from two double-digit regular season losses to rival Century.
To a putback buzzer-beater shot by sophomore Kesler Vaughan - who came up big again with 13 points Friday - just to make the first state tournament for the first time in 13 years.
To now a long-awaited finals appearance.
“Job’s not finished,” Payne said. “We got one more. So we’re just looking onto the next one.”
Junior Schuyler Mower had 16 points for Jerome, which will play No. 4 Middleton (24-3) at noon Saturday in the third-place game.
PHOTO GALLERY
(All photos by Loren Orr)
