5A

Coeur d’Alene Vikings
Record: 20-2
Head coach: Kent Leiss, fifth season
Road to state: Beat Post Falls 75-50 and Lewiston 40-35 to win Region 1 title.
Players to watch: Nate Clinton, 5-7, sr., G; Andrew Prohaska, 5-9, sr., G; Jon Latorre, 5-10, sr., G.
Notes, quotes: Coeur d’Alene finished sixth at state last year in its first trip since 2001. … The top-ranked Vikings enter state on a 10-game winning streak … Their only losses were to Gillette (Wyo.) at the Gillette Energy Classic, and to Lake City at home by one point in the Fight for the Fish spirit game. The Vikings play an entertaining uptempo style on offense and a harassing, full-court style on defense. Guards Clinton and Prohaska have been described as “pests” by a rival coach for their defensive play.

Madison Bobcats
Record: 15-9
Head coach: Bill Hawkins (20th year)
Road to state: Beat Idaho Falls 51-42 in the second round of the District 4-5-6 tournament; lost to Highland 67-56; beat Idaho Falls 59-54 in an elimination game; lost to Highland 45-43 in the championship game.
Players to watch: Jace Balls, sr., center (15 ppg, 7 reb); Kory Matthews, sr., guard (9 ppg, 4 ass)
Notes: Last year was Madison’s first year in 5A and it took home the 5A state title and the 5A player of the year, Matt Hansen. But graduation hit the school hard. Matthews, a 6-foot-3 lanky shooter, Balls, its beef in the middle, and slasher Justin Brodie return from last year’s team. Madison gets a second shot at Coeur d’Alene in the first round after a Dec. 1 64-53 home loss. Madison played the game the afternoon after a double-overtime win over Lake City.

Eagle Mustangs
Record: 18-5
Coach: Tom Seifert, third season
Road to state: Beat Borah 67-51 in first round of District Three tournament, beat Centennial 73-58 in semifinals, beat Vallivue 74-72 in championship.
Players to watch: Mitch Bruneel, sr., forward (23.1 points, 59.5 percent field goals, 9 rebounds); Dallas Yorgason, jr., guard (6.4 points, 4.5 assists, 2.5 steals); Ryan Beckstrom, sr., guard (8.8 points, 3.2 assists, 1.6 steals)
Notes: This is Eagle’s first trip to state since 2005 and its first under Seifert, who previously was an assistant with first-round opponent Centennial. Eagle shot a league-best 45.7 percent from the field during the regular season and averaged 17.1 assists and 15.2 turnovers. Bruneel finished with the third-highest scoring average over the past 25 years in the 5A SIC and made a league-record 148 field goals in 18 conference games.

Centennial Patriots
Record: 11-12
Coach: Tom Aipperspach, 21st season
Road to state: Beat Mountain View 50-42 in first round of District Three tournament, lost to Eagle 73-58 in semifinals, beat Capital 57-50 for fourth place.
Players to watch: Josh Dunagan, sr., guard (9.2 points, 2.3 assists, 1.6 steals); Chase Nielson, sr., forward/guard (8.6 points, 5 rebounds, 2.4 steals); Damir Delic. sr., forward/guard (6.2 points, 4.9 rebounds); Jake Peterson, jr. forward/guard (6.8 points, 1.6 steals)
Notes: The Patriots were outscored by their opponents 51.2-48.1 during the regular season, but upset Mountain View in the district tournament and bounced back from a semifinal loss to Eagle with a win over Capital to earn a spot at state. This is Centennial’s first trip to the state tournament since 2005, when the Patriots met guess who in the opening round — Eagle — and lost.

Highland Rams
Record: 20-2
Head coach: Chris Frost (19th year)
Road to state: Beat Twin Falls, 56-50, in first round of District 4,5,6 tournament; beat Madison, 67-56, in second round; beat Madison, 45-43, for district title.
Players to watch: Rennie Leavitt, G, Sr. (13.5 ppg); Taylor Tingey, G, Sr. (9.3 ppg); Taysom Hill, F, Jr. (14.6 ppg).
Notes: Since a loss to 4A Century in mid-December, Highland hasn’t lost. That’s a streak of 15 games, including four wins against defending state champion Madison, which qualified for state again. The Rams also picked up three wins at a Nevada tournament to open the season, and the 20 victories overall are the most for the program since the 1996-97 campaign. But the Rams didn’t win a state game in either of their last two visits, and their last state title came in 1990 in Frost’s first year as coach.

Timberline Wolves
Record: 17-6
Coach: David Roberts, second season
Road to state: Beat Capital 61-36 in first round of District Three tournament, lost to Vallivue 76-62 in semifinals, beat Mountain View 50-42 for third place.
Players to watch: B.J. Shearry, sr., forward (14.9 points, 10.3 rebounds, 2.3 blocks); Zach Peterson, jr., guard (15.1 points); Brock Hall, sr., guard (6.8 points, 2.2 assists, 2.9 steals)
Notes: The Wolves finished third at last year’s state tournament with a 56-43 victory over Mountain View. Shearry scored 36 points and had 17 rebounds in a District Three semifinal loss to Vallivue and appears primed for a big week at the Idaho Center. The senior now has the No. 1 (2007, 12.5) and No. 10 (2008, 10.3) rebounding averages over the past 25 years in the 5A SIC and ranks, first (2006, 4.1), third (2007, 3.3) and 10th (2008, 2.5) in shot blocking.

Lewiston Bengals
Record: 15-7
Head coach: Dave Cornelia (seventh year)
Road to state: Defeated Lake City 50-35 in first round of 5A District I-II tournament, lost to Coeur d’Alene 40-35 in championship game, defeated Lake City 38-37 in second-place game.
Players to watch: Ryan Young, 6-0, jr., guard (9.3 ppg); Steven Heitzman, 6- 3, sr., wing (9 ppg); Peter Gregg, 6-8, jr., post.
Notes, quotes: The Bengals upset their way through districts and made state for the seven consecutive season. All of those appearances have come with Cornelia in charge. While not as talented as recent Lewiston teams, this club plays lock-down defense. Since Christmas, the Bengals are allowing 44.9 points per game, and limited their foes to 37.3 ppg in three playoff outings.

Vallivue Falcons
Record: 20-3
Coach: Mike Chatterton, 11th season
Road to state: Beat Boise 68-44 in first round of District Three tournament, beat Timberline 76-62 in semifinals, lost to Eagle 74-72 in championship.
Players to watch: Will Bogan, sr., guard (16.2 points, 3.7 assists, 3.7 steals); Ryan Simpson, sr., guard (11.7 points, 37.1 percent 3-point, 82.3 percent free throw); Zach Kelsh, soph., forward (9.6 points, 8.7 rebounds, 1.2 blocks)
Notes: The Falcons were one of two 5A SIC teams with fewer turnovers (12.6 per game) than assists (14.1) — the other team was Eagle. Bogan signed a letter of intent to play basketball at Ole Miss, one of the top teams in the SEC. Bogan’s average of 3.7 steals per game ranks third over the past 25 years in the 5A SIC.