Bravettes turn tables on Capital

Flathead explodes for 43 points in second half

The Daily Inter Lake

For 16 minutes it was as if the Bravettes were battling themselves. Not only were they competing against a mirror image Helena Capital squad, but they were forcing difficult passes to unsuspecting teammates and turning the ball over ad nauseam.

Thanks goodness for second halves.

The Flathead High School girls basketball team increased its defensive intensity and simplified its offensive effort in the third quarter Thursday night, beating the Lady Bruins 66-57 in a Western AA contest.

It was the final home game of the season for the Bravettes, who trailed for much of the first half, but tied the game before the break on senior Lindsay Ingram's 3-pointer with 1:01 left in the second quarter. Flathead outscored Capital 22-14 in the third frame and held on down the stretch.

"That was so sweet to watch," said Flathead coach Kim Elliott. "We had a timeout, and we went to our pressure (defense) in the third quarter, and that's when we started rolling. We didn't want any more skip passes across court, we just wanted sound basketball."

Flathead's defensive pressure led to 18 steals, 25 Capital turnovers and 43 second-half points.

"Our defense was the difference," Elliott said. "The girls know that. They've got a couple different defenses that they love, they believe in, and these seniors kept this gym orange and black tonight."

Flathead senior guard Annie Braseth drew the toughest defensive chore, guarding Capital scoring sensation Kelsi Brekke. She succeeded admirably, holding Brekke to seven points and one field goal.

"(Brekke) is one of the top scorers in the state," Elliott said. "She had seven points. Annie Braseth stopped her. (Brekke) had 41 points in a game against Big Sky - (Braseth) shut her down."

Elliott stressed that Braseth's superb defense was not surprising.

"Annie Braseth was a huge piece every game (this season), and you will not see that because you will not see her in terms of the scores," Elliott said.

Flathead junior Meghan O'Connell terrorized the Lady Bruins, grabbing seven steals and drawing charges on two consecutive Capital possessions in the fourth quarter.

Junior Emilee Hashley had nine rebounds and four steals, along with 13 points as Flathead out-rebounded Capital, 33-27.

Capital coach Bill Pilgeram said Flathead's defense ignited the Bravettes' offense in the third quarter.

"I thought they just got some points off their defense that really got them going that we didn't give them in the first half," Pilgeram said. "We knew coming in that we had to beat their press and they would get after us, and we just didn't want to turn the ball over and give them points off their defense, and they got some."

Senior Sara Newgard and junior Kendalyn Habel scored 14 points apiece to lead Flathead, which pulled even with Capital at 8-3 in conference play. Capital beat Flathead 62-58 in Helena earlier this season.

Newgard did all her scoring in the second half after Elliott urged the Bravettes to simplify their operation.

"Run what we do in practice," Elliott said. "Run our stuff. Run our set plays and go into your offense. Don't go for the exotic, go for the sure."

The Bravettes improve to 14-5 overall while the Lady Bruins fall to 9-10.

Pilgeram said Flathead's pressure bothered the Lady Bruins, but it didn't surprise them or wear them down physically.

"Definitely, Flathead comes out and puts out great pressure and everything, but we practice that," Pilgeram said. "That's the way we want to play, too. We both came in knowing that both teams wanted to play fast, and that's the way we've played all year.

"I thought it was a very hard-played game. Both teams really got after each other."

Junior Jenna FauntLeRoy led Capital with 16 points. Junior Ashley Ames came off the bench to add 13 points and eight rebounds.

But Elliott said the Bravettes were happy to be back home after a disheartening loss at Missoula Sentinel last Saturday.

"It was really nice," Elliott said. "It was probably one of the biggest crowds I've ever seen here. Our student body section: Thank you, thank you, thank you.

"It's psychological for a teenage kid to play better (in front of a noisy crowd), and it's psychological for a 52-year-old coach to coach better."

Flathead concludes its regular season at Butte High on Saturday at 2:30 p.m.

Capital 11 12 14 20 - 57

Flathead 14 9 22 21 - 66

Capital (9-10, 8-3) - Kelsi Brekke 1-9 4-6 7, Shannon Furlong 1-1 1-2 3, Lindsay Cline 1-3 0-2 3, Alli Hunthausen 1-4 0-0 2, Jenna FauntLeRoy 5-7 4-4 16, Sonja Nelson 3-8 0-2 8, Alecia Wilson 0-1 0-0 0, Mikal Chancy 1-3 0-0 2, Markki Johnston 1-1 0-0 3, Ashley Ames 5-9 3-4 13. Totals 19-46 12-20 57.

Flathead (14-5, 8-3) - Christina Zorn 1-1 0-0 3, Lindsay Ingram 6-10 0-1 13, Sara Newgard 4-7 6-6 14, Chelsea Vaudt 2-2 0-0 4, Annie Braseth 0-1 0-0 0, Chaeney Latimer 0-2 0-0 0, Kendalyn Habel 6-12 1-1 4, Emilee Hashley 5-12 3-4 13, Meghan O'Connell 1-2 0-0 3, Leslie Quay 0-1 0-0 0, Ashley Younkin 1-3 0-2 2. Totals 26-53 10-14 66.

3-point goals - HC 7-13 (Brekke 1-7, Cline 1-1, FauntLeRoy 2-2, Nelson 2-2, Johnston 1-1), FHS 4-8 (Zorn 1-1, Ingram 1-1, Latimer 0-2, Habel 1-3, O'Connell 1-1). Assists - HC 15 (Nelson 5, Furlong 5, Wilson 2, Brekke 1, Cline 1, Hunthausen 1), FHS 10 (O'Connell 3, Ingram 2, Zorn 1, Vaudt 1, Braseth 1, Hashley 1, Younkin 1). Steals - HC 12 (Furlong 3, Brekke 2, Hunthausen 2, Wilson 2, FauntLeRoy 1, Chancy 1, Ames 1), FHS 18 (O'Connell 7, Hashley 4, Quay 3, Habel 2, Newgard 1, Younkin 1). Blocks - HC 1 (Nelson 1), FHS 0. Turnovers - HC 25, FHS 25. Total fouls - HC 18, FHS 19. Fouled out - none.