Bravettes fend off feisty Wolfpack
There was no shaking the Wolfpack this time.
Flathead, which won the first crosstown meeting with Glacier on Feb. 1 67-30, had more than it could handle before posting a 64-53 Western AA girls' basketball victory on its home court Friday night.
"I told the girls at halftime that this is like a state tournament game," Flathead coach Kim Elliott said.
"Every possession (is critical)."
Flathead (12-7 overall, 7-4 league) enjoyed its biggest lead at the half - 12 points (33-21).
The Bravettes used a free throw by Kendalyn Habel to tie the contest for a final time at 15-all with 47 seconds left in the opening quarter.
Habel followed with a field goal 32 seconds later to put Flathead on top for good, 17-15.
"It was just fun, invigorating, a great basketball game," Glacier coach Doug Hashley said.
"I thought the kids followed the game plan to a T. They worked so hard."
Glacier jumped out to a 3-0 lead and there were four ties in the opening quarter.
The Wolfpack never lost sight of Flathead, slipping to within four, 50-46, with five minutes to play on a traditional 3-point play by Paige Latimer.
But Habel rattled in a jumper and Kaylyn Heaton banked in another field goal to put the Bravettes up 54-46.
A nice drive inside ended with a layup for Meghan O'Connell, keeping Flathead in control 60-51 with just under two minutes to play.
"It was what we needed," Elliott said of a pressure game before a full house.
"We shot 50 percent (from the field) and 76 percent from the free-throw line.
That's tremendous confidence. The girls are believing in themselves."
Flathead went 16-for-21 at the free-throw line while Glacier hit 10-for-23.
Ally Krautbauer led the Bravettes offensively with 15 points. Heaton was next with 13 and O'Connell added 11.
Glacier's Emilee Hashley led all scorers with 17 points. She tallied 10 in the third period.
Kayla Smart turned in a strong offensive effort for the Wolfpack with 14 points.
Hashley and Paige Latimer both fouled out for Glacier.
"You see the maturity starting to come," coach Hashley said.
"Our bench was fantastic, they believed they were gonna get it done."
Flathead wraps up its regular season today at Missoula Hellgate, 4:30 p.m.
Glacier finished season play with marks of 3-17 and 0-12.
The Bravettes and Wolfpack will both be involved in playoff action next week.
Glacier 15 6 18 14 - 53
Flathead 17 16 11 20 - 64
Glacier (3-17, 0-12) - Kayla Smart 5 3-6 14, Kadie Latimer 1 0-0 2, Lindsea Vaudt 2 1-2 5, Emilee Hashley 7 3-5 17, Sydney Sharaf 1 0-0 2, Paige Latimer 2 2-3 6, Ashlee Waggener 2 1-5 5, Jenelle Hoover 1 0-0 2, Zoey Pitts 0 0-2 0. Totals: 21 10-23 53.
Flathead (12-7, 7-4) - Shaina Evans 2 0-0 4, Kali Radel 1 0-0 3, Kendalyn Habel 3 3-4 9, Ally Krautbauer 6 3-4 15, Meghan O'Connell 4 2-2 11, Ashley Younkin 1 3-5 5, Ashley Brown 2 0-0 4, Kaylyn Heaton 4 5-6 13. Totals: 23 16-21 64.
3-point goals: Smart; Radel, O'Connell; Team fouls: Glacier 16, Flathead 19; Fouled out: Hashley, P. Latimer.