Wolfpack takes on Sentinel tonight
State trip on the line in playoff game
It's No. 2 vs. No. 7 tonight when Missoula Sentinel entertains Glacier at 7 in a Western AA girls' basketball playoff contest.
Sentinel finished the regular season with an 8-3 mark in league games, 14-5 overall. Glacier went 0-12 and 1-19.
Sentinel wound up second to Missoula Big Sky (11-1, 17-3) in the final league standings. Big Sky drew the automatic bye to the state tournament March 6-8 in Great Falls.
The winner of tonight's playoff game advances to state.
Sentinel already owns two regular-season victories over the Wolfpack - 68-47 and 59-31.
Emilee Hashley led Glacier offensively in both contests with 20 and 8 points, respectively. The 6-foot junior forward/post is averaging 12.8 points per game and 7.6 rebounds.
"They (Spartans) did a real nice job on her (Hashley) in the inside (the second game)," Glacier coach Doug Hashley said.
"She was 8-for-9 at the free-throw line. They made sure she was gonna earn it at the free-throw line."
Coach Hashley expects Sentinel will do the same thing again.
"Hopefully we put in a few wrinkles in our offense to get her open better," he said.
"Hopefully get her into the field goal scoring column this game."
Hashley has been the team's leading scorer in every game but three. She ripped off a season high 26 against Missoula Hellgate.
"We're going to try to establish the inside game to start off with," the coach said.
"We have done that the last three weeks. That's really opened up our outside game."
The Wolfpack enter this matchup having dropped 11 straight games. They are 0-14 versus AA foes and 1-15 in games decided by 10 points or more. Only five Glacier games were decided by five points or less.
Sentinel is 13-3 in games decided by 10 points or more. The Spartans own a 6-2 record at home this season.
Glacier's second-leading scorer is Lindsea Vaudt, who is averaging 5.2 points and 3.5 rebounds. Kayla Smart is at 5.1 points and 4.4 rebounds.
The other two starters for the Wolfpack are Sydney Sharaf, a sophomore guard, and Ashlee Waggener, a freshman guard.
Bryn Hasquet powers the Sentinel attack with her 11.4 points per game average. Emily Garland and Michele Powers are the rebounding leaders, both averaging 5.7.
Hasquet had a season-high 28 points the first time around with Glacier while Cassie Kavran scored 14 points in the second meeting with the Wolfpack.
Kavran is averaging 5.3 points per game.
The Spartans have had six different players lead the team in scoring throughout the season. Sentinel has won five of its last seven games.
"The critical thing is rebounding for sure," coach Hashley said.
"We have some nice defensive wrinkles, but we have to make sure they only get one shot at the basket, secure the rebound and go down to the other end and get a good scoring opportunity."