12th annual Avista Holiday Tournament begins today

Marquee matchups among local prep basketball teams will be featured right out of the gates as the 12th annual Avista Holiday Tournament begins today at the P1FCU Activity Center on the campus of Lewis-Clark State College in Lewiston.

The event tips off this morning at 9 a.m. and will run through Saturday’s boys and girls finals set for 2:30 and 4 p.m., respectively.

Lewiston, Clarkston, Moscow and Colfax all have their boys and girls teams competing, along with several other notable teams.

Day 1 battle of unbeatens

The Lewiston Bengal boys have had their best start to a season in recent memory, going 8-0 thus far this season with the benefit of prolific long-range shooting efforts spearheaded by junior Royce Fisher. Lewiston has averaged more than 10 3-pointers per game and converted as many as 18 in a single outing. The Bengals will face perhaps their sternest test yet when they take on the Bonners Ferry Badgers in an opening-round clash of unbeatens today at 6 p.m.

Bonners Ferry is the defending Idaho Class 4A state champion and enters the Avista tournament having won all seven of its contests through the season to date by margins of at least nine points.

“They’re big, they’re long, they’re athletic,” Lewiston coach Brooks Malm said of the Badgers. “A really good team.”

Malm said that his Bengals have been in the gym over the holiday break preparing, meaning they will hopefully show little sign of rust.

It might seem surprising that the event’s only two undefeated teams would clash in the first round, but as explained by Avista regional manager Mike Tatko, the Avista bracket is set far in advance of the tournament dates for other considerations, and not calibrated for recent results.

“Once we get the teams, we draw it up, and we had no idea that (Lewiston and Bonners Ferry) were both going to be undefeated,” said Tatko, who works with Lewiston and Clarkston athletic directors Doug Henderson and Shannon Wilson to organize the tournament each year.

The Lewiston-Bonners Ferry winner will face either the Moscow Bears (4-3) or their opening-round opponents from southern Idaho, the McCall-Donnelly Vandals (3-3).

Bonners Ferry is not the only defending state titlist in the boys bracket, with the reigning Washington Class 2B champion Colfax Bulldogs featuring in the top half of the draw.

However, due to scheduling constraints under Washington Interscholastic Activities Association (WIAA) rules, the Bulldogs (8-1) are only in a position to play up to two games this week and will not be able to contest the title game even if they win in the quarterfinals (where they face the Buckaroos of Pendleton, Ore.) and semifinals. Should that happen, the losing semifinalist from their half of the draw will advance to the championship round.

In the remaining quarterfinal, which will also be the inaugural game of this year’s tournament, the Clarkston Bantams take on the Kendrick Tigers today at 9 a.m. Although it brings a 3-4 record to this week, Clarkston has won its last two games and will be hoping to keep up that momentum as its young roster continues what coach Justin Jones has called a “process-oriented” approach to the season. Kendrick (3-2) is a returning Idaho Class 1A Division II (now known simply as 1A) state finalist, but graduated several key players from last year and has gone the season thus far without the aid of former 1A DII Player of the Year Nathan Tweit, who has been sidelined since early in the fall football season with an injury.

Bantams loom large in girls field

In girls competition, Clarkston will be looking to defend the Avista title, having swamped Grangeville 72-32 in last year’s final. The Bantams (5-2) have shown outstanding depth this season, sometimes getting 10-or-more players on the board in a single game and three-or-more into double-digit scoring. Junior point guard Jaelyn McCormack-Marks has served as the team’s well-rounded leader, often registering significant across-the-board contributions in scoring, rebounding, assists and steals.

Clarkston faces area foe Moscow (3-6) in the quarterfinals today at 10:30 a.m.

“Moscow and Clarkston play a similar style in that we both push the pace and apply pressure full-court,” Clarkston coach Debbie Sobotta said. “This should be a fun game to watch.”

Like their counterparts on the boys side, the Colfax girls (5-4) face Pendleton (2-7) to start with and are limited to two games for the event.

In the bottom half of the bracket, the returning finalist Grangeville Bulldogs (5-3) will attempt to extend a three-game winning streak and punch above their weight as they take on larger-division foe Lakeland of Rathdrum (6-2). For the Day 1 nightcap at 7:30 p.m., Lewiston (4-5) treads less-familiar territory in taking on the Shelton (Wash.) Highclimbers, who boast a 6-1 record and have won four straight.

How to watch

Daily tickets to the Avista tournament cost $10 per person, while full-tournament passes are available at rates of $25 for individuals or $50 for families. All games will also be livestreamed with commentary on Lewiston High School’s YouTube channel, LHS Bengals.

“It’s a good time for kids to get some games in when most teams are on break,” Tatko said.

12th Avista Holiday Tournament opening matchups

BOYS

Game 1: Kendrick vs Clarkston, 9 a.m.

Game 3: Colfax vs Pendleton, noon

Game 5: McCall-Donnelly vs Moscow, 3 p.m.

Game 7: Bonners Ferry vs Lewiston, 6 p.m.

GIRLS

Game 2: Moscow vs Clarkston, 10:30 a.m.

Game 4: Colfax vs Pendleton, 1:30 p.m.

Game 6: Lakeland vs Grangeville, 4:30 p.m.

Game 8: Shelton vs Lewiston, 7:30 p.m.

Wendt may be contacted at (208) 848-2268, or cwendt@lmtribune.com.