Distractions aside, Bravettes ready for Butte

One of your star players has missed two practices this week, and to make matters worse, is stranded in Butte because of a winter storm.

The state tournament bracket was flipped over the weekend, meaning you will now play at 10:30 a.m. instead of later in the day.

It's been an interesting couple of days to say the least for Flathead Bravettes coach Kim Elliott and his basketball players.

"Things like that don't bother me," Elliott said.

As for his players dealing with the distractions …

"They're kids, they come through it stronger than adults do," he said. "It's part of the experience of being in high school, living your life to the fullest."

Flathead (13-8) opens Class AA state tournament play Thursday against Butte (19-1) at Four Seasons Arena in Great Falls.

The Bravettes advanced via a 62-44 triumph over Missoula Hellgate at FHS last Saturday in a Western AA playoff contest.

Butte, the top seed from Eastern AA, was an automatic state qualifier.

The flipping of brackets was done to accommodate C.M. Russell, which will face Missoula Big Sky at 5 p.m.

"I don't really care (what time we play)," Elliott said. "It's the same for both of us. It really doesn't matter.

"In fact, I probably prefer it. Rather than sitting around all day wondering what to do, we get up and get to do our business.

"It's just like hunting: The earlier you get up, the more game you're gonna see."

Regarding the saga of the stranded player, Flathead's leading scorer - senior Kendalyn Habel - attended a statewide competition in Billings for Business Professionals of America after the Hellgate victory. As of Tuesday, she was stuck in Butte while en route to Kalispell because of the weather.

"She may not be on the bus (tomorrow)," Elliott said. "I don't know what will happen.

"All I know is I will be staying up late to figure it out. Those are the things that make it exciting, what great stories are made of."

Habel is in no danger of missing the state tournament, but Elliott would like to see her at the team's final practice today, which is scheduled for 2 p.m. at the Montana School for the Blind in Great Falls.

Habel led Flathead against Hellgate with 18 points. She also had 10 rebounds and two steals.

"It's gone," Elliott said of Habel's sore ankle, which caused her to miss one game. "She's 97.3 percent."

Elliott said the Bravettes turned in an exceptional effort in the playoff contest, dominating Hellgate from start to finish.

"It showed them how well they can play when they play together," he said.

Flathead had balanced scoring in that outing as Megan O'Connell tallied 13 points and Ashley Younkin and Kaylyn Heaton both added 10. The team's other starter - Ally Krautbauer - added six points.

"She had her best game of the year in the playoff game," Elliott said of Younkin. "She's been playing with a broken knee cap.

"The doctor said you can play and you are not doing any more damage to it. It will just hurt an awful lot.

"What more do you say on how much this young lady wants it? She's our defensive engine. We're going to state on wounded knee."

Elliott said Butte is similar to the Bravettes in several respects.

"They do a lot of stuff like us," he said. "Play a lot of man defense, put pressure on the ball."

One difference is the Bulldogs are a little taller than Flathead at the post position.

"We will have to put more pressure on their guards so they don't see their posts as easily," Elliott stressed.

One of the interesting matchups will be Younkin defending Butte's talented guard Lexi Nelson, who is averaging 14.7 points per game.

"They will be going at it, bringing it down," Elliott said. "It will be very enjoyable to watch that."

Nelson has been the team's leading scorer in nine games and shared the honor in another. She has scored 20 or more points five times, with a season high of 24.

Sixteen of the Bulldogs' contests have been decided by 10 or more points, and they have won 15 of them.

The Bulldogs have two more players in double-digit scoring - Brianne McClafferty at 10.7 and Gwenn Abbott at 10.5.

Abbott leads the team in rebounding (7.3) with Joey O'Neill close behind (6.4). Kalli McCloskey is the assists leader (6.1).

Butte's lone loss was to Bozeman, 57-38, during the final week of the regular season. That snapped an 18-game win streak.

The Bulldogs bounced back from that setback by whipping Billings West 60-44 two days later.

The Bravettes have won three of their last four games.

Habel has been the team's leading scorer in 13 games and has shared the honor once. She scored a season-high 27 points three times, and is averaging 19 points and 8.2 rebounds.

O'Connell is averaging 12 points and has led the team in scoring six times and shared the honor once.

"I feel good (about our state chances)," Elliott said. "I don't think they will be tight because of the experience they had last year. I just see how bad they want it."

Elliott said his players also have tasted state tournament action on the volleyball court and the soccer pitch.

"That's an asset," he said. "You can't practice that. They will push each other to get the job done."

Billings West and Missoula Sentinel open state play at 9 a.m.

The Butte-Flathead victor plays Friday at 3 p.m. The loser plays Friday at 9 a.m.

NOTE: Elliott said the Bravettes were the recipients of a special project from the fourth-grade students at Elrod School. "Mrs. Tedrow's class made cards for the Bravettes," he said. "That's pretty special. It's just an honor to represent Kalispell and Flathead."

Girls' AA

State Basketball

At Four Seasons Arena

Great Falls

Thursday

9 a.m. - Billings West (12-9) vs. Missoula Sentinel (15-5)

10:30 a.m. - Butte (19-1) vs. Flathead (13-8)

3:30 p.m. - Helena Capital (13-8) vs. Bozeman (17-4)

5 p.m. - Missoula Big Sky (17-3) vs. C.M. Russell (14-7)