At state tennis, the Hillcrest girls doubles team of Raegan and Berklee Olsen won the 4A state title on Saturday, and the mixed doubles team of Daniel Crofts and Nicole Tran also captured a state title.

Val Rodel has been named the new boys basketball coach for Idaho Falls High School. Rodel is taking over the basketball program after coaching at both the freshman and varsity level for the past three seasons.

As a youngster watching Kobe Bryant and the Lakers play the Celtics in the 2008 NBA Finals, Lloyer Driggs was captivated.

The area’s top high school athletes, coaches and teams were honored Monday night at the third annual Post Register Sports Stars Awards ceremony.

Basketball season won’t kick off for another seven months, but Bonneville has hired a new man to guide its girls team.

Sydnee Hunt gazed around at the small room where so many had gathered to support her.

Tylie Jones likes to be open about her college recruitment process.

Shane Seeley was named the new girls basketball coach for Idaho Falls High School on Tuesday. Seeley will assume the reins of the girls’ basketball program after coaching the program’s JV team for the past two seasons.

Three years ago when Thunder Ridge coach Lee Toldson started putting together the building blocks for the first Titan boys basketball team, a certain sophomore stood out.

For a variety of reasons, it was an odd season for area boys basketball teams.

First Team

One of the final batches of boys basketball postseason awards has arrived: The all-state teams. The teams, compiled by the Idaho Statesman, spotlight several District 6 players and coaches.

All-conference boys basketball teams have been released. Here’s the full list of honors for area players. Note: All-conference teams voted on by coaches.

The final installment of Idaho girls basketball post season awards has arrived. This time, it’s the all-state lists, which are compiled by the Idaho Statesman.

For so long, Tylie Jones has been focused on the idea of team.

First team

The story of Raimee Odum’s blisteringly fast ascension to the top of the mountain at Blackfoot is so compelling, in large part, because there’s an alternate universe where she turns down the opportunity in the first place.

It’s time to check out one of the last girls basketball all-conference lists of the season.

The accolades continue for the Teton boys basketball team after its run to a Mountain Rivers Conference title and a 3A state third-place trophy.

At Nampa, after two losses to Snake River during the regular season, Teton turned the tables to earn a 3A third-place trophy Saturday with a 59-39 win over the Panthers.

MERIDIAN — It’s not easy at the time, but good programs tend to build on their losses. Young players learn from their mistakes and they learn from adversity. Experiences, both good and bad, sharpen and mold players for the future.

EAGLE — North Fremont bounced back from Friday’s streak-breaking loss to defeat Wendell 56-40 on Saturday and secure the 2A third-place trophy.

NAMPA – Madison needed a furious fourth-quarter rally against Meridian in Friday’s 5A semifinal and senior Taden King did all he could.

EAGLE—North Fremont fell 45-43 to St. Maries in the 2A state semifinals Friday after the Lumberjacks’ Colby Renner hit a deep 3-pointer at the buzzer.

At Ridgevue, the Rigby boys advanced to the 5A consolation title game with a 70-50 win over Mountain View.

MERIDIAN — A meeting of well-acquainted rivals had a familiar vibe Thursday at the 4A state tournament. But this time, when the buzzer sounded, it was Hillcrest celebrating a hard-earned win.

NAMPA – It’s been 10 years since Madison celebrated a boys basketball state championship.

NAMPA — Boise outlasted Rigby in Thursday’s 5A state tournament opener at the Idaho Center.

North Fremont began its two-time 2A title defense with a 53-44 win over West Side at Eagle High School Thursday. 

North Fremont began its two-time 2A title defense with a 53-44 win over West Side at Eagle High School Thursday.

Ding, Ding, Ding!

Sugar-Salem has been the team to beat in the Mountain Rivers Conference, but things started to change early this season.

It's time to check out some girls basketball all-conference lists.

The best of the Rocky Mountain Conference have been named.

Idaho's girls basketball season has come to an end, but the awards are just now trickling in.

The boys basketball state tournament starts Wednesday with 1A teams tipping off in the Boise area.

At Burley, the Hillcrest boys blew out Vallivue, 65-44, earning a spot in the 4A state tournament.

For the first time since 2015, the Skyline boys basketball team is headed back to the state tournament.

Kade DaBell sported a gray sweatshirt and a black backpack as he sauntered across the court, smiling as an armada of his Rigby supporters waited to celebrate with their hero. A loud bellow was the first greeting. Then, friends closer to his age mobbed him, forming a circle, jumping and chanting.

For the third straight year, North Fremont’s boys basketball team accomplished a first.

"He looked as cool as a cucumber," Skyline coach Clint Cornish said, referring to Isaac Farnsworth's two free throws with four seconds remaining in Wednesday night's 4A District 6 tournament game.

At Skyline, the Grizzlies earned a spot in the 4A district title game with a 55-51 overtime win over Bonneville.

Madison punched its ticket to the 5A state tournament on Tuesday night, downing Thunder Ridge 65-53 in the District 5-6 tournament.

Teton defeated Sugar-Salem 63-58 on Monday night, earning the 3A District 6 tournament title and berth to the state tournament.

NAMPA — The tears flooded as they posed for the picture they never wanted to take. Their coach made a speech and their supporters applauded, but the end had come for the Thunder Ridge girls, who exchanged hugs and wiped their faces under circumstances that signaled the conclusion of this won…

At Meridian, the Skyline girls basketball team, making its first trip to the state tournament since 2007, defeated Mountain Home 54-37 in Saturday's 4A consolation game.

NAMPA — Raimee Odum came striding out of the hallway, toward her Blackfoot players and into a state championship celebration she never could have predicted. Three-year-old Piper, dressed in a black shirt and jeans, bounded toward her mom and wrapped her arms around her leg. Odum beamed. Her …

NAMPA—In a battle of the top two 3A programs in the state, a dynamic Timberlake duo proved too much for Sugar-Salem to overcome.

NAMPA — These circumstances always figured to challenge Rigby, the team that had just fallen in a way it never had.

NAMPA — The first Thunder Ridge basketball team to earn a state tournament bid prepared for the championship game by dissecting game film over chicken fried steak.

Girls basketball

The Thunder Ridge girls moved on to Saturday's 5A state championship game with a win over Coeur d'Alene, while Rigby fell to Mountain View on Friday.

NAMPA — The avalanche unraveled in overwhelming fashion, baskets from Mountain View players who never seemed to miss, turnovers from Rigby guards who couldn’t maneuver the defending 5A champions’ clamps on the other end, losing turnovers around the basket and 30 feet from it.

NAMPA — Jeremy Spencer stared straight ahead, past the black gate guarding the empty court at the Idaho Center and into the maroon seats on the other end of the venue. A few scattered conversations filled the oval stadium, which was silent otherwise. Thunder Ridge’s head coach was racking hi…