SportsDecember 12, 2024

Lewiston and Clarkston basketball teams meeting earlier than normal this season

The Lewiston High School student section celebrates after winning the Golden Throne on Jan. 26 at the P1FCU Activity Center in Lewiston.
The Lewiston High School student section celebrates after winning the Golden Throne on Jan. 26 at the P1FCU Activity Center in Lewiston.Jordan Opp/Tribune
The Lewiston High School student section celebrates Jan. 26 after winning the Golden Throne inside the P1FCU Activity Center in Lewiston.
The Lewiston High School student section celebrates Jan. 26 after winning the Golden Throne inside the P1FCU Activity Center in Lewiston.Jordan Opp/Tribune

In the record books, it may look like just another prep basketball doubleheader, but the annual Lewiston-Clarkston Golden Throne rivalry event, presented by P1FCU and Inland Cellular, offers “a once-in-a-lifetime experience for our kids to play in,” in the words of Lewiston ASB advisor Golden Steele.

“You can have really great players that go on to play Division I basketball, and they still won’t experience that type of atmosphere that is provided Friday night,” he said.

Normally held in January, this year’s Golden Throne has been bumped back a month due to court availability at the P1FCU Activity Center on the campus of Lewis-Clark State College, where it will be played on Friday starting with the girls game at 6 p.m.

A high school event unlike any other

As much as for the sporting event it centers around, the Golden Throne is perhaps equally well-known as an extravaganza of community-and-school spirit and a charitable fundraiser wrapped into one.

A winter holiday dress-up theme will be in effect at what is expected to be a packed Activity Center on Friday, with a panel of LCSC athletes on hand to judge which school’s fans demonstrate more spirit and sportsmanship and thereby earn the coveted Golden Throne trophy. Each school has selected a charitable organization — the Gina Quesenberry Foundation breast cancer charity for Clarkston and SPIN (Suicide Prevention of the Inland Northwest) for Lewiston — which will receive half of the proceeds raised through various means in the run-up to and night of the Golden Throne.

“I think it’s exciting that it’s the spirit of Christmas, and we are giving to the charities this holiday season and offering the greatest high school event maybe in both states,” Clarkston athletic director Shannon Wilson said.

Lewiston athletic director Doug Henderson reports that the school’s ASB has been “working on things from a preparation standpoint for well over a month.” Currently in his second year on the job, Henderson was struck by his initial experience of the Golden Throne and its often-deafening environment this past January.

“It was a really cool event to be a part of,” he said. “Tons of energy in the gym, and the spirit from the students was ... I don’t know — it’s just unlike any high school event I’ve ever been a part of, including state championship games and state playoff games.”

Bengal boys, Bantam girls defending thrones

The Lewiston boys enter this Friday with a perfect 5-0 record and an established aptitude for long-range shooting. They kicked off their schedule with a 71-64 win over a larger school in Hanford of Richland, Wash., and most recently handled Pendleton (Ore.) 73-48 in a game that saw the Bengals total 16 3-pointers as a team — eight of those converted by junior guard and top offensive producer Royce Fisher.

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Clarkston brings a 1-3 overall mark, though it has been competitive in each outing, including a 45-44 heartbreaker defeat to Pendleton last week and a 57-42 loss to Pullman after a tight opening half in another area rivalry contest on Tuesday.

Clarkston coach Justin Jones describes his program as “process-oriented for the first six to eight weeks,” especially with a younger roster that is settling in and working out its identity this season.

“We’re just looking for problem-solving with fundamentals and system solutions, so this game comes at a perfect time for us to just see where we’re at in that process,” Jones said.

The Bengal boys won last season’s game 57-47 and will be seen as the favorites again this time around, but Lewiston coach Brooks Malm emphasizes that he is not looking past the Bantams.

“I have a ton of respect for coach Jones,” Malm said. “I have watched him since I was in elementary school. He is going to have his guys ready to go. They bring a ton of toughness to the floor this year.”

On the girls side, Clarkston — returning after a third-place showing in the Washington Class 2A state tournament last season — has made a 3-1 start, most recently dominating Pullman 57-37 on Tuesday. The Bantams have showcased a deep and balanced roster, sometimes getting 10-or-more players on the board and several into double figures in a single game. Junior point guard Jaelyn McCormack-Marks has distinguished herself on both sides of the ball, dotting the stat sheets with substantial contributions in everything from points to rebounds to steals to assists.

The Lewiston girls are sitting just above .500 with a 4-3 record on the season, but might feel they bring some momentum with a three-game winning streak as they attempt to avenge a 66-37 defeat at the hands of the Bantams from January.

“The Golden Throne is such an amazing experience for our basketball community in the valley,” Lewiston girls coach Julie Fisher said. “Not many high school athletes get to compete in front of that many fans and that cool of an atmosphere. I’m excited for our girls to come out and play hard and battle.”

More than one way to watch

Tickets to the Golden Throne are currently on sale at both the Lewiston High School and Clarkston High School offices. Prices for this year’s event are $10 for adults, $5 for students with an ASB card for either school and $5 for senior citizens. Presale will remain available at both high school offices until Friday at 12:00 p.m.

Those unable to attend in-person will also have the option of watching the games on Lewiston’s YouTube channel, where they will be broadcast with “play-by-play, three camera angles, instant replay — the whole bit” provided by students, according to Steele.

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

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