Idaho high school girls basketball state tournaments 2024: Scouting reports, predictions

Will Boise finally win the big one in 5A? Can Shelley complete the perfect season in 4A? Is Snake River poised to go back-to-back in 3A and who's coming out on top in a wild 2A?

The Idaho girls state basketball tournaments are here once again. Every year, they’re filled with storylines that capture everyone’s attention and hearts.

What are the biggest ones to follow? SBLive Idaho has you covered with our guide:

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CLASS 5A TOURNAMENT

Games at Ford Idaho Center, Nampa

No. 4 Coeur d’Alene (17-5) vs. No. 5 Rocky Mountain (17-6), noon

No. 1 Boise (22-1) vs. No. 8 Madison (18-8), 2 p.m.

No. 2 Lake City (23-2) vs. No. 7 Middleton (20-4), 5 p.m.

No. 3 Rigby (22-2) vs. No. 6 Owyhee (16-8), 7 p.m.

FAVORITE: Coeur d’Alene

The Vikings are finally healthy and are peaking at the right time. They also have the catalyst of last year’s state championship team in UNLV signee Teagan Colvin back. So it’s hard not to like their chances for a repeat.

CONTENDER: Boise

Most people have the Brave as the favorite and that is completely understandable. They’ve been nothing short of dominant with 19 straight wins. But will that translate over to state after back-to-back years of heartache?

DARKHORSE: Rigby

It’s hard to call the Trojans a darkhorse. They are undefeated against 5A teams this season, including a win over the aforementioned Coeur d’Alene. And Kambree Barber, a future BYU Cougar, is a player of the year candidate.

FAB FIVE

F Kambree Barber, Rigby, sr.

G Teagan Colvin, Coeur d’Alene, sr.

G Avery Howell, Boise, sr.

G Sydnie Rodriguez, Owyhee, sr.

G Avery Waddington, Lake City, sr.

PLAYER TO WATCH: Avery Howell

There’s not much left to say about the 6-foot guard. She’s not only the best player in the state, but one of the best to ever come through. Howell just became a McDonald’s All-American and will play at USC.

Quarterfinal picks:

Coeur d’Alene over Rocky Mountain

Boise over Madison

Lake City over Middleton

Rigby over Owyhee

Semifinal picks:

Coeur d’Alene over Boise

Rigby over Lake City

Championship pick:

Rigby 61, Coeur d’Alene 56

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CLASS 4A TOURNAMENT

Games at Timberline HS, Boise and Idaho Center, Nampa

No. 4 Lakeland (13-9) vs. No. 5 Bishop Kelly (18-4), noon

No. 1 Shelley (22-0) vs. No. 8 Columbia (13-12), 2 p.m.

No. 2 Pocatello (17-5) vs. No. 7 Jerome (19-5), 5 p.m.

No. 3 Skyline (17-7) vs. No. 6 Minico (16-6), 7 p.m.

FAVORITE: Shelley

The Russets have been on a mission since narrowly falling in last year’s state championship game. They have the state’s longest winning streak and Brinley Cannon, who is a BYU signee and the defending player of the year.

CONTENDER: Pocatello

The Thunder were kind of just happy to be at state last year with their first appearance in nearly a decade. But after winning 11 of the past 12 games - all but one by double digits - they’re coming for that state title.

DARKHORSE: Skyline

The Grizzlies sat back and watched the tournament last season after making it to the title game just the year before. Now they might just win it all. Skyline gave Shelley its toughest game of the year in a two-point loss just a few weeks ago.

FAB FIVE

G Brinley Cannon, Shelley, sr.

P Kennasyn Garza, Pocatello, jr.

P Addy Laible, Bishop Kelly, sr.

G Carlie Latta, Minico, sr.

G Shay Shippen, Skyline, jr.

PLAYER TO WATCH: Brinley Cannon

With 22.1 points, 11.0 rebounds and even 1.2 blocks per game, she’s almost guaranteed to repeat as the classification’s player of the year. The 6-footer is arguably the most complete player in the entire 4A.

Quarterfinal picks:

Bishop Kelly over Lakleland

Shelley over Columbia

Pocatello over Jerome

Skyline over Minico

Semifinal picks:

Shelley over Bishop Kelly

Pocatello over Skyline

Championship pick:

Shelley 67, Pocatello 59

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CLASS 3A TOURNAMENT

Games at Middleton High School

No. 4 Parma (18-6) vs. No. 5 Fruitland (12-9), noon

No. 1 Teton (22-1) vs. No. 8 Kimberly (14-12), 2 p.m.

No. 2 Snake River (17-6) vs. No. 7 American Falls (11-14), 5 p.m.

No. 3 Timberlake (16-6) vs. No. 6 Filer (14-10), 7 p.m.

FAVORITE: Teton

After placing third and second at state over the last two seasons, this might finally be the Timberwolves’ year. They come in as the heavy favorites after cruising through the regular season by going 5-0 against state qualifying teams.

CONTENDER: Snake River

The Panthers are the defending champions who've had some good fortune lately. Reigning player of the year Rylie Edlefsen returned from a supposed season-ending injury (hand) in the district championship game.

DARKHORSE: Timberlake

The Tigers are four-time state champions and are at state for the 13th time in the last 16 seasons. They’re back despite having played the entire year without all-state point guard Malia Miller.

FAB FIVE

P Reese Baldwin, Snake River, sr.

G Rylie Calkins, Parma, jr.

G Rylie Edlefsen, Snake River, sr.

F Reece Kunz , Teton, jr.

F Kurtsten McKellips, Timberlake, sr.

PLAYER TO WATCH: Rylie Edlefsen

She’s averaging 17.6 points per game and is just coming back from a fractured metacarpal in her right shooting hand that cost her more than a month of the season. Edlefsen is signed to Northwest Nazarene University.

Quarterfinal picks:

Parma over Fruitland

Teton over Kimberly

Snake River over American Falls

Timberlake over Filer

Semifinal picks:

Teton over Parma

Snake River over Timberlake

Championship pick:

Teton 47, Snake River 42

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CLASS 2A TOURNAMENT

Games at Kuna High School

No. 4 North Fremont (18-6) vs. No. 5 Melba (16-6), noon

No. 1 Grangeville (21-2) vs. No. 8 Kellogg (15-9), 2 p.m.

No. 2 Bear Lake (20-3) vs. No. 7 Declo (17-5), 5 p.m.

No. 3 Cole Valley Christian (17-6), vs. No. 6 Soda Springs (13-13), 7 p.m.

FAVORITE: Grangeville

The Bulldogs were in the state consolation final a year ago. If they’re there again, that would be a big disappointment. Grangeville has dominated the classification with not a single loss in it. It is a perfect 9-0 against state qualifiers.

CONTENDER: Bear Lake

Even at 20-3, the Bears have been underrated this season. Their only losses have come against state qualifying teams and they’ve avenged both of them. They have 12 wins by double digits alone.

DARKHORSE: Soda Springs

Yes, the record doesn’t look great. But that’s because the Cardinals played a brutal schedule. They’re four-time state champions, the reigning state runner-up and have been here 22 times in a row now.

FAB FIVE

G Caryss Barger, Grangeville, soph.

G Brooklyn Dayley, Melba, sr.

F Hadley Fraas, Cole Valley Christian, sr.

W Jinettie Garbett, Soda Springs, sr.

G Saydee Shaul, Bear Lake, jr.

PLAYER TO WATCH: Jinettie Garbett

Her future is in track and field with Idaho State, but she could have definitely had one in basketball. Garbett is averaging a double-double of 15 points and 10 rebounds per game.

Quarterfinal picks:

Melba over North Fremont

Grangeville over Kellogg

Bear Lake over Declo

Soda Springs over Cole Valley Christian

Semifinal picks:

Grangeville over Melba

Soda Springs over Bear Lake

Championship pick:

Grangeville 56, Soda Springs 53

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CLASS 1A (D1) TOURNAMENT

Games at Columbia High School, Nampa

No. 4 Murtaugh (18-4) vs. No. 5 Prairie (17-7), noon

No. 1 Grace (19-3) vs. No. 8 Rimrock (14-7), 2 p.m.

No. 2 Oakley (17-5) vs. No. 7 Liberty Charter (12-5), 5 p.m.

No. 3 Lapwai (18-5) vs. No. 6 Valley (15-9), 7 p.m.

FAVORITE: Grace

The Grizzlies have the third longest winning streak in the state at 13 games and counting. They haven’t lost to a Class 1A team and have an average margin of victory against opponents of 27.4 points per game.

CONTENDER: Oakley

The Hornets are the reigning state runner-ups who fell in the title game by just three points. They won the state consolation title the year before that. So Oakley might just be the most motivated team in the field.

DARKHORSE: Lapwai

You always have to take a program with 11 state championships to its name as nothing but a serious threat. Because even after losing their head coach and two of their best players from last year, it’s back for the 24th year in a row.

FAB FIVE

G/F Kaymbri Beck, Oakley, sr.

F Qubilah Mitchell, Lapwai, sr.

G Lexi Schumacher, Prairie, soph.

F Sydnee Smith, Grace, sr.

G Ady Stanger, Murtaugh, sr

PLAYER TO WATCH: Sydnee Smith

The 5-10 forward is averaging 11.8 points per game. She was one of the last holdovers from the team that won state for the first time in 2021. Smith averaged 20 minutes a game that season.

Quarterfinals picks:

Prairie over Murtaugh

Grace over Rimrock

Oakley over Liberty Charter

Lapwai over Valley

Semifinal picks:

Grace over Prairie

Oakley over Lapwai

Championship pick:

Grace 45, Oakley 41

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CLASS 1A (D2) TOURNAMENT

Games at Nampa High School

No. 4 Deary (14-7) vs. No. 5 Mackay (16-6), noon

No. 1 Dietrich (18-3) vs. No. 8 Rockland (14-10), 2 p.m.

No. 2 Kendrick (20-3) vs. No. 7 Leadore (17-4), 5 p.m.

No. 3 Council (11-5) vs. No. 6 Salmon River (17-6), 7 p.m.

FAVORITE: Kendrick

The Tigers have won the state consolation championship in each of the last two years. They seem poised to do better this time around having not lost within the classification this season. All three losses are to state qualifying teams.

CONTENDER: Dietrich

The Blue Devils had a fourth-quarter lead before falling in last year’s state championship. They have a great chance of getting there again to get a chance at redemption. Dietrich is 6-1 against state qualifying teams.

DARKHORSE: Council

To be the man, you have to beat the man. And the Lumberjacks are just that right now. They’ve made it to back-to-back state finals and won the title for the first time in program history a year ago.

FAB FIVE

G Lexi Bird, Leadore, soph.

G Saige Hubert, Dietrich, sr.

G Rhianna Iveson, Council, sr.

G Hailey Taylor, Kendrick, sr.

G Rainey Walters, Salmon River, sr.

PLAYER TO WATCH: Rhianna Iverson

She’s the lone returning all-state player on the list. Iverson is on track to do so again with a stat line of 17.1 points, 5.6 rebounds, 3.2 steals and 2.8 assists per game for the classification’s second-best offense (52.7 ppg).

Quarterfinal picks:

Mackay over Deary

Dietrich over Rockland

Kendrick over Leadore

Council over Salmon River

Semifinal picks:

Dietrich over Mackay

Kendrick over Council

Championship pick:

Kendrick 55, Council 52

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