NAMPA, ID – The first day of the 4A State Girls Basketball Tournament at Skyview High School saw two teams establish themselves as serious contenders, with top-seeded Sugar-Salem and fourth-seeded Marsh Valley both advancing to Friday’s semifinal showdown.
Sugar-Salem Rolls Past Kimberly
The Diggers left no doubt in the tournament opener, cruising to a 60-44 victory over eighth-seeded Kimberly.
Sugar-Salem came out firing, taking an 18-13 lead after the first quarter before blowing the game open with a dominant 16-7 second quarter. The Diggers carried a commanding 34-20 lead into halftime and never looked back.
Junior guard Tasha Larsen led the charge with a game-high 21 points, attacking the basket and knocking down shots from all over the floor. Kalena Dayley was a force on both ends, recording an impressive double-double with 14 points and 12 rebounds. Andee Petterson filled up the stat sheet with 11 points and a game-high 9 assists, orchestrating the Diggers’ offense with precision.
Kimberly’s Taya Plew did everything she could to keep the Bulldogs in it, scoring 18 points while adding 5 rebounds and 4 assists. Adyson Osborne contributed 8 points and 7 rebounds in the losing effort.
The win showcased exactly why Sugar-Salem entered the tournament as the top seed — balanced scoring, relentless rebounding, and suffocating defense.
Marsh Valley Survives Fruitland’s Late Charge
If the first game was a display of dominance, the second was a white-knuckle thriller.
Fourth-seeded Marsh Valley held off a furious Fruitland comeback to escape with a 53-50 victory, but the Grizzlies made them earn every bit of it.
The Eagles controlled the pace early, taking a 12-11 lead after the first quarter and extending it to 26-21 at halftime. Marsh Valley pushed their advantage to double digits in the third quarter behind the interior dominance of Zayli Merzlock, who finished with 14 points and 12 rebounds for a double-double.
But Fruitland refused to fold.
The Grizzlies roared back in the fourth quarter, outscoring Marsh Valley 21-15 in a desperate bid to steal the game. Kennedy Fitch was unstoppable down the stretch, finishing with 16 points and 13 rebounds. Mollie Calkins added 12 points and 9 boards, while Payson Bratcher chipped in 11 points.
It wasn’t quite enough. Marsh Valley’s Tayzlee Belnap came up clutch with key buckets down the stretch, finishing with 11 points as the Eagles held on.
Semifinal Preview: Sugar-Salem vs. Marsh Valley
Friday’s 5:00 PM semifinal promises to be a clash of styles. Sugar-Salem will look to push the pace and rely on their balanced attack, while Marsh Valley has shown they can win in the trenches with physical, grind-it-out basketball.
Can the Eagles pull off the upset, or will the Diggers continue their march toward a state title?
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