Braves vanquish Knights
Flathead's Brock Osweiler hits a layup during second half action Thursday while Hellgate's Nathan Klette watches. Osweiler contributed a game-high 23 points to Flathead's 70-48 win. Karen Nichols/Daily Inter Lake
Flathead outscores Hellgate 44-17 in 2nd half, wins 70-48
All season long Flathead has been able to catch lightning in a bottle at the perfect time. Who would strike against Missoula Hellgate?
After trailing 31-26 at halftime, the Braves found themselves badly in need of another spark. And they got a big one from Beau Watkins.
The senior had gone scoreless in the game's first 23 minutes but proceeded to score seven straight points, helping Flathead stretch a two-point lead into a 46-37 cushion in the opening minute of the fourth quarter. The Braves rolled from there, winning 70-48 Thursday night in Kalispell.
"At halftime the coaches talked about providing a spark, and I put it in my mind that it was going to be me," Watkins said.
Other Braves also came up big, with Brock Osweiler contributing his third consecutive 20-point effort, pouring in a game-high 23 points on 9-of-12 shooting. Jeremy DeHerrera added 18 points, while Geoff Hogan scored 10.
And Watkins became just the latest in a cast of characters to ignite a Flathead stretch run.
"We're always going to look to Jeremy, Brock and Geoff, but the beauty of this team is that other players are willing to step up and make contributions when we need it," Flathead coach Fred Febach said. "Beau picked a good time to get hot tonight."
The entire Braves team started out hot, opening up a 9-2 advantage three minutes into the game. But then they cooled off, while the Knights started bombing away from long distance.