Braves keep season alive

| March 10, 2007 1:00 AM

The Daily Inter Lake

BILLINGS - The Flathead High School boys basketball team prolonged its season by controlling the boards and dominating the fourth quarter Friday morning in a 55-50 loser-out victory over Bozeman at the Class AA state tournament.

Sophomore Brock Osweiler had 15 points and 18 rebounds to pace the Braves, who out-rebounded the Hawks, 42-24.

The Western AA No. 4 seed Braves led by five points at halftime, but trailed 42-37 after three quarters before exploding for 18 points in the final frame.

Flathead senior Geoff Hogan notched 15 points, followed by Jake Thiesen with six and Luke Cutler with five. Thiesen and Osweiler dished three assists apiece.

Eric Sebastian led Eastern AA No. 3 seed Bozeman with 14 points and six boards while Aaron Rustan added 12 points, four assists and three steals for the Hawks, who finish 15-8.

The Braves shot 48.8 percent (20-for-41) from the field while holding Bozeman to 33.9 percent (19-for-56) field goal shooting.

Flathead resumes loser-out action this morning at 9 against Western AA No. 3 seed Missoula Big Sky. A victory in that contest would earn the Braves a spot in today's 3:30 p.m. consolation game against either Missoula Sentinel or Billings Senior, who play a loser-out contest this morning.

Flathead 13 15 9 18 - 55

Bozeman 14 9 19 8 - 50

Flathead (14-9) - Geoff Hogan 5-11 4-6 15, Austin Roehl 1-2 0-0 2, Brock Osweiler 5-8 5-10 15, Luke Cutler 2-4 0-0 5, Jake Thiesen 2-6 0-0 6, Shay Smithwick-Hann 1-1 0-0 3, Connor Cavigli 1-1 0-0 2, Brad Huff 2-4 0-0 4, Michael Gallagher 1-4 1-2 3. Totals - 20-41 10-18 55.

Bozeman (15-8) - Brock Lohman 2-6 2-2 6, Aaron Rustan 4-19 1-2 12, James Cole 2-4 0-2 6, Trevor Peck 1-5 0-1 3, Eric Sebastian 6-12 0-0 14, Patrick Webb 1-3 0-0 2, Andy Burns 1-3 0-0 3, NA 2-4 0-0 4. Totals - 19-56 3-7 50.

3-point goals - Flathead 5-13 (Thiesen 2-4, Cutler 1-3, Smithwick-Hann 1-1, Hogan 1-2, Gallagher 0-3), Bozeman 9-24 (Rustan 3-7, Sebastian 2-6, Cole 2-4, Peck 1-4, Burns 1-3). Rebounds - Flateahd 42 (Osweiler 18), Bozeman 24 (Sebastian 6). Assists - Flathead 14 (Thiesen 3, Osweiler 3), Bozeman 11 (Rustan 4). Steals - Flathead 4 (four with one), Bozeman 4 (Rustan 3). Blocks - 2 (Osweiler 1, Huff 1), Bozeman 2 (Webb 1, Sebastian 1). Turnovers - Flathead 21, Bozeman 11. Total fouls - Flathead 13, Bozeman 20. Fouled out - Cutler, Rustan.