On to state! Tigers beat B.K. in district game

The Mountain Home Tigers are heading to the 4A Boys State Basketball Tournament next week after they beat Bishop Kelly, 57-49, Monday evening during the district semi-finals.

Details on the game will appear in next week's edition of the Mountain Home News.

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The Mountain Home Tigers opened this year's District III 4A boys basketball tournament action with a decisive 68-34 win over the Caldwell Cougars on Saturday at Lloyd Schiller Gymnasium. The Tigers used hot shooting and a 10-0 run to help propel them to a 20-8 first-quarter lead. They kept their focus all night long as they extended their lead to 39-17 at the half and 61-28 after three.

Mountain Home's biggest lead of the night was 68-28 midway through the fourth as they went on to clinch the win.

"We had a good week of practice, and were really focused and are coming together as a team and playing some really good basketball right now," said Tigers basketball coach Brion Bethel.

All 10 regular varsity players scored, three of them in double figures. Jarek Schetzle led the way with 14. Tyler Park and Jymon Garretson both netted 10, Christen Riedel added nine, Jermaine Smith and Marcus Egusquiza dropped in six and AJ Woodruff added five. Meanwhile, Brion Bethel Jr. and Chris Wright put in three each and Garrett McKenzie had two.

Mountain home shot 49 percent from the field, hitting 10 of 22 three-balls. The team made six of 10 of its free throws.

Caldwell ended the night shooting 28 percent from the field, hitting just three of 17 three pointers and five of nine from the charity stripe.

Mountain Home controlled the boards, outrebounding the Cougars, 36-20. Tyler Park led the Tigers with 11, Jymon Garretson had seven, and Jarek Schetzle added five.

The win improved the Tigers to 16-6 overall, which moved them into the semi-finals at Bishop Kelly. The state tournament begins March 5 at Borah High School.