Boys basketball: Hellgate burns Flathead

The Flathead Braves turned an 11-point deficit into a one-possession game in less than 1 minute and 30 seconds of gametime, but Missoula Hellgate hung on for a 61-56 Western AA basketball win at Flathead High School Saturday.

Flathead guard Matthew Tokarz drilled a three-pointer to ignite the Braves’ last-ditch rally and forward Matt Quist scored five consecutive points to cut the deficit to three with 7.6 seconds left, but Hellgate guard Brady Henthorn iced the game for the Knights by converting a pair of foul shots.

Flathead (8-5 overall, 3-3 Western AA) led much of the first half and never trailed by more than six until the fourth quarter when Hellgate (12-2, 6-1) went on a 9-3 run to stretch a five-point lead to 11.

In four of its five losses, Flathead has led or been within one point of its opponent in the fourth quarter, but it hasn’t been able to pull out many close victories, something the Braves say has become a frustrating trend.

“It’s become pretty frustrating because I know our team can do it,” Flathead center Garth West said. “I know we can pull through, we just need to think a lot more clearly in those close situations.”

Hellgate wing Tres Tinkle carried the offensive load for the Knights, scoring a game-high 27 points and attacking the offensive glass, where he reeled in four of his team’s 13 offensive rebounds.

Flathead coach Fred Febach said his plan was to make Tinkle work for touches by denying him the ball, but that strategy broke down because Flathead didn’t control its defensive rebounds. Hellgate outrebounded the Braves 28-19.

“(Tinkle) is the focal point for them, but we also need to understand that when a shot goes up, we need to block off and rebound,” Febach said. “I don’t think he shot 100 percent and as a team they didn’t either. We have to understand that great players will get their looks, they’ll get their points, but we’ve got to take care of other stuff as well.”

The game included nine ties and 12 lead changes and while Flathead led most of the first half, it couldn’t stretch its lead beyond four points. Tinkle made a driving layup at the first-half buzzer to give his Hellgate a 25-24 lead at the break, then Hellgate stretched its advantage to six midway through the third quarter. A three-pointer and a pull-up jumper by Flathead point guard Blaine Newman and a free throw by Chandler Escalante tied it at 34 before Hellgate closed out the third quarter with four consecutive points.

West and Newman were co-leaders for Flathead with 13 points apiece. Shea Schroeder scored eight, Tokarz had seven and Quist and Escalante each scored six.

Henthorn scored 13 for the Knights, who have won their last five games.

“They know how to play the game,” Febach said of Hellgate. “They’ve got an elite player of course in the Tinkle kid, but they’ve got kids around him to support and contribute. What I like about their team is their discipline. They run their stuff, they’re patient, they don’t beat themselves and that’s one reason they’re so good.”

While Flathead’s late rally came up short, West said it was encouraging to make a late run after a poor start to the fourth quarter.

“That reassures me that we can hang in there with any team,” he said. “We can beat anybody, we just need to think clearly.”

Febach agreed.

“The kids understand we’re real close to getting over that hump, so to speak, in regards to finishing games strong and being in a position to play with poise and confidence down the stretch,” the coach said. “My kids don’t lack for effort, there’s no doubt about that. Right now we’re just going through some learning that’s painful, but I think we’re going to get better.”

Flathead travels to Missoula to take on Big Sky on Tuesday. The Braves defeated Big Sky 59-36 on Jan. 5 in Kalispell.

Hellgate 15 10 13 23 — 61

Flathead 13 11 10 22 — 56

HELLGATE — Tres Tinkle 9-17 8-10 27, Brady Henthorn 3-4 7-9 13, Pat Colberg 3-7 0-0 6, Luke Bewley 2-2 0-0 4, Devin Bray 1-6 2-3 4, Kole Swartz 0-1 3-6 3, Dylan Harvala 1-2 0-0 2, Hunter Mahlum 0-0 2-2 2, Mark Lebsock 0-1 0-0 0.

FLATHEAD — Blaine Newman 6-9 0-0 13, Garth West 4-6 5-7 13, Shea Schroeder 3-7 2-4 8, Matthew Tokarz 3-8 0-0 7, Matt Quist 2-3 1-3 6, Chandler Escalante 2-7 1-2 6, Kaleb Cannaday 1-1 0-0 3, Parker Sutton 0-1 0-0 0, Adam Bradley 0-0 0-0 0.

3-point goals - Hellgate 1-7 (Tinkle), Flathead 5-15 (5 with 1). Rebounds - Hellgate 28 (Tinkle 9, Colberg 6), Flathead 19 (West 5, Quist 3, Schroeder 3). Assists - Hellgate 8 (Tinkle 2, Henthorn 2, Bray 2), Flathead 10 (Tokarz 5, Newman 2). Blocks - Hellgate 0, Flathead 2 (Newman 2). Steals - Hellgate 7 (Tinkle 4, Bewley 2), Flathead 9 (Tokarz 2, Quist 2, West 2). Turnovers - Hellgate 16, Flathead 15. Team fouls - Hellgate 17, Flathead 24. Technical fouls - none. Fouled out - none.