Braves, Bravettes host Western AA playoffs

The one thing Flathead's two basketball teams hope to avoid is the One and Done concept at this point of the season.

The Braves and Bravettes will deal with that possibility today when they host Western AA playoff action.

The Bravettes (12-8 overall and 7-5 Western AA) entertain Missoula Hellgate (6-14, 4-8) at 4 p.m. The Braves (15-5, 7-5) follow versus Missoula Big Sky (10-10, 6-6) at 5:45 p.m.

The winner in each advances to the Class AA state tournament, which begins Thursday in Great Falls, while the loser goes home.

"They understand this is a real good opportunity that's been given to them and they have to take advantage of it," FHS girls' coach Kim Elliott said of hosting a postseason contest.

"I can see that in their body language and their eyes."

The Flathead girls and Hellgate split their regular-season meetings. The Bravettes rallied to down Hellgate in Kalispell 55-50 on Feb. 2, but lost 54-50 last Saturday in Missoula.

Kendalyn Habel (19 points and 8.2 rebounds per game) missed the second meeting with an ankle injury. The Bravettes' 5-foot-7 senior guard may not start today, but she is expected to play.

"Her chances (of playing) are good," Elliott said.

"There is no way I can keep that senior from not going in the game. It takes a lot to keep her down."

If Habel does not start, Elliott's lineup will look like this: Kaylyn Heaton, senior, 6-0; Ally Krautbauer, senior, 5-9; Megan O'Connell, senior, 5-7; Ashley Younkin, senior, 5-4; and Kali Radel, senior, 5-7.

O'Connell is averaging 12 points and Heaton 7.3 rebounds.

O'Connell and Krautbauer led FHS against Hellgate in the final meeting with 12 points apiece. Heaton added 11.

Kirsten Vaculik had 12 for the Knights and Brooke Raunig 12.

Hellgate finished the regular-season with victories over Glacier and Flathead. That snapped a five-game losing streak.

Hellgate had a six-game losing streak earlier, which it also ended with a victory over Glacier.

The Knights have played in 14 games decided by more than 10 points and have lost 11 of them.

They blew a 19-point lead in the overtime loss to Flathead.

Vaculik leads Hellgate in scoring (8.1) and rebounding (8.9). Catelyn Lower, Mary Yoder, Rachael Gearheart and Raunig are all averaging between six and seven points per game.

Yoder is second in rebounding (5.6).

"It's a matchup we like because we like to play on our court," Elliott said of the Hellgate contest. "It's dangerous because they got us down there and took us to overtime up here. You can't overlook anybody."

Flathead went 2-3 in its final five games of the season. The Bravettes had a five-game winning streak prior to that.

The Bravettes have been tough on their homecourt, posting an 8-2 record. They have been involved in 13 games decided by 10 points or more and have won 10. They are 2-3 in games decided by five points or less.

The Braves ended their regular season just like they started it - streaking.

Flathead opened its schedule with six-straight wins and finished with five in a row.

The Braves are 9-1 at home.

Flathead's current streak started with a 67-66 win over Big Sky. The Braves lost to the Eagles in Missoula 62-52.

The Braves have played in two overtime games and one double overtime contest, posting a 2-1 record.

Flathead is 7-3 in games decided by nine points or less and 8-2 in games 10 points and over.

Brock Osweiler, 6-8 junior forward/post, is averaging a double-double (21 points and 13.9 rebounds) for Flathead. He scored 23 points in the first game with Big Sky and 25 in the second.

He's been the team's leading scorer in 14 games and has shared the honor in two more. Jake Thiesen, Flathead's 5-10 senior guard, is at 10.1 points.

"I like where we are at, what I've seen this team become at the tail end of the season," Flathead coach Fred Febach said.

"It's a more balanced team. Osweiler has been a focal point for us throughout the season, but what has been good to see (lately) is everybody is contributing. Players coming off the bench and starters. Finding each other out there, making extra passes."

Febach said its made the Braves a better team.

What's also helped was coming back from a tough road schedule early in the season.

"We dug a hole for us conference-wise," he said.

"But give our kids credit. They dug themselves out of it to a degree. We were pretty close to being on the road for a playoff game."

Mike Devlin (12.8), Justin Montelius (11.5) and Mike LaValley (10.7) are Big Sky's offensive leaders. LaValley had 17 points in the second meeting with Flathead and 16 in the first. Devlin 16 in the first game also.

Big Sky has also been involved in two overtime contests and one that went double overtime. The Eagles are 1-2 in those meetings.

They are 6-3 in games decided by 10 points or more, just 4-7 in games nine points or less.

The Eagles have lost three straight and are 2-5 in their final seven outings. They are 5-7 in road games.

"Big Sky presents some problems (for us)," Febach said. "First of all, they are a good basketball team. They've had a history of winning road playoff games. We have to be aware of that.

"They play physical, hard all the time," he continued.

"They are capable of hitting 3s. They are a good free throw shooting team."

Joining Osweiler and Thiesen in the starting lineup will be point guard Danny Salois, 5-10 junior; forward Connor Cavigli, 6-4 senior; and forward/post Charlie Dotson, 6-2 senior.