Braves hold off Knights; Bravettes fall
MISSOULA — Flathead held off a late charge by Missoula Hellgate to claim a 46-44 Western AA boys basketball victory on Saturday.
It was the regular-season finale for both teams.
Missoula Hellgate (5-15 overall and 2-10 league) outscored Flathead 20-15 in the final quarter.
Flathead (11-8 and 7-5) led 13-8 and 19-16 after the first two quarter stops.
Karl Ingram and Joe Pistorese led Flathead in scoring with 12 and 10 points, respectively.
Jesse Ginn had 12 for Hellgate.
It was the second big win in two nights for Flathead. The Braves swept the season series with Glacier on Friday, winning 48-45.
Up next for both teams is a playoff game this week.
Flathead 13 6 12 15 — 46
Hellgate 8 8 8 20 — 44
FLATHEAD – Tanner Salois 1 1-2 4, Karl Ingram 5 2-4 12, Joe Pistorese 2 4-4 10, George Sherwood 2 2-2 6, Jeremy Grosswiler 1 5-7 7, Connor Tice 2 1-1 5, Mike VanArendonk 1 0-0 2. Totals 14 15-20 46.
HELLGATE – Sam Hall 1 0-0 2, Dan Clucas 0 1-2 1, Brent Daugherty 0 4-6 4, Conner Weston 2 4-6 9, Matt Harrison 0 0-0 0, Jesse Ginn 5 2-5 12, Zach Peevey 1 0-0 2, Carsen Hopfauf 3 0-0 7, Nick Joscelyn 2 2-3 7. Totals 14 13-26 44.
3-point goals – Flathead 3 (Pistorese 2, Salois 1), Hellgate 3 (Hopfauf, Joscelyn, Weston). Total fouls – Flathead 21, Hellgate 21. Fouled out – Grosswiler.
Girls
Hellgate 54, Flathead 36
Missoula Hellgate outscored Flathead 33-19 in the final half for a 54-36 Western AA girls basketball victory on Saturday afternoon at Flathead.
It was the regular-season finale for both teams.
Flathead (4-15 overall and 1-11 league) trailed by four at the half, 21-17.
Leyna Downey sparked Hellgate (4-16 and 3-9) in the final half, scoring 14 of her game-high 20 points. Mary Yoder was next with 18.
Brittany Earnest led Flathead with 15 points and Danika Johnson added 11. Only four players scored for the Bravettes.
“Disappointing loss,” Flathead coach Karly Tait said.
“Last night’s win (33-21 over Glacier) must have taken it all out of us.”
Johnson pulled down a team high seven rebounds, while Sam Thompson followed with five.
Thompson and Tess Brenneman both had a team bests in assists, five each, and steals, three apiece.
Brenneman finished with eight points.
“Our defense was not where it needed to be,” Tait said.
“Hellgate shot well and we’ve got to give them credit. They played hard.”
Up next for both teams is a playoff game this week.
Missoula Hellgate 9 12 18 15 — 54
Flathead 6 11 15 4 — 36
MISSOULA HELLGATE — Jill Lindberg 1 2-2 4, Piper Frame 2 2-2 6, Leyna Downey 7 6-6 20, Mary Yoder 8 2-6 18, Lacey Zinke 3 0-0 6. Totals: 21 12-16 54.
FLATHEAD — Sam Thompson 1 0-0 2, Tess Brenneman 4 0-0 8, Brittany Earnest 6 2-2 15, Danika Johnson 5 1-2 11. Totals: 16 3-4 36.
3-point goals: Earnest; Team fouls: Hellgate 9, Flathead 11; Fouled out: None.