BASKETBALL ROUNDUP: Bravettes win third straight, Bigfork wins twice in Libby
COEUR D’ALENE, Idaho — Tiana Johnson scored 15 points and Flathead came from behind to upend Coeur d’Alene, 49-45 Saturday afternoon for its third straight win.
The three-game winning streak is the first for the Bravettes (3-2) since December 16-20, 2011, and Flathead enters its holiday break with more wins this year (3) than it had during a miserable 2-19 season a year ago.
Johnson scored in double-figures for the fourth time in five games. Sierra Siblerud added 10.
The Bravettes trailed 22-18 at halftime.
The Vikings (4-4) cost themselves dearly at the free-throw line, making just 13 of 39 attempts including 13 misses in the fourth quarter.
Flathead 10 8 12 19 — 49
Coeur d’Alene 9 13 8 15 — 45
FLATHEAD — Kylee Meredith 6, Mary Heaton 5, Sierra Siblerud 10, Kelsey Gillespie 5, Cadelyn Nunn 1, Allison Gagnon 1, Taylor Henley 4, Tiana Johnson 15, Liz Lorentz 2.
COEUR d’ALENE — Miller 2, Horvath 1, Callahan 17, Fagan 2, Louden 4, Hollibaugh 5, Horning 14.
Columbia Falls 43, Frenchtown 31
COLUMBIA FALLS — Columbia Falls built a huge halftime lead, then shook off a sluggish third quarter to finish off Frenchtown for its fifth straight win.
The Wildkats (5-0) held the Broncs to 13 first-half points and led by 15 at the break only to see the visitors trim the lead to 33-26 after three quarters.
“We had a little bit of a letdown from last night,” Columbia Falls coach Cary Finberg said. “We didn’t play with the energy we did with Glacier (on Friday) but we did enough to get the win.”
Peyton Kehr led the Wildkats with 11 points. Sydney Hovde scored all nine of her points in the second quarter.
Columbia Falls closes out 2015 Tuesday when it travels to take on Bigfork at 6 p.m.
Frenchtown 8 5 13 5 — 31
Columbia Falls 11 17 5 10 — 43
FRENCHTOWN — Meg Delaney 2, Olivia Williams 9, Callie Bagnell 2, Kylie Willett 3, Alli Moe 6, Emily Hinrichs 5, Allie Hochalter 4.
COLUMBIA FALLS — Sydney Grilley 2, Ellie Johnson 3, Peyton Kehr 11, Ryley Kehr 2, Miranda Livingston 3, Kiara Burlage 5, Allyson Gimbel 8, Sydney Hovde 9.
Bigfork 48, Libby 30
LIBBY — Lana Berg scored 21 points and plucked eight rebounds to nearly single-handedly carry Bigfork to a win against the Loggers.
“She’s a beast,” Bigfork coach Jami Grende said of Berg. “She had a great game all-around, she never came out of the game and she played great defensively.”
Despite Berg’s big day, the Valkyries did not put the game away until the fourth quarter. Libby trailed just 35-26 entering the final frame.
Katie Thomas added seven points in the win. Mattie McAnally finished with six points, seven rebounds and six steals.
Shannon Remy led the Loggers with 10 points.
Bigfork is back in action Tuesday at home against Columbia Falls at 6 p.m. Libby rounds out its 2015 portion of the schedule Tuesday evening when it hosts Troy at 5:30 p.m.
Bigfork 15 9 11 13 — 48
Libby 10 8 8 4 — 30
BIGFORK — Lana Berg 21, Katie Thomas 7, Hailee Norred 6, Mattie McAnally 6, Miranda Campbell 6, Jamie Berg 2.
LIBBY — Shannon Remy 10, Jayden Winslow 7, Madisen Monigold 6, Trinity Wallace 3, Khalyn Hageness 2, Abby Ennenga 1, Ashley Walker 1.
Hamilton 36, Polson 27
HAMILTON — Hamilton pulled away in the fourth quarter to earn a narrow win against Polson in Western A action.
Reilly Rostad scored 10 points to lead the Broncs. She was the only player in the game to score in double-figures.
The Pirates (1-3) trailed 11-1 after one quarter but made it a game late, closing to within 22-18 entering the final quarter.
Marlee Congdon led Polson with eight points. Lauren Lefthand added seven.
Saturday’s game was Polson’s final contest of 2015.
Polson 1 11 6 9 — 27
Hamilton 11 4 7 14 — 36
POLSON — Marlee Congdon 8, Lauren Lefthand 7, Kaelyn Smith 2, Kyler Lundeen 2, Nichole Lake 5, Erin Sampson 3.
HAMILTON — Breann Duce 6, Baylie Duce 8, Kloie Nye 4, Reilly Rostad 10, Rachel Ringer 3, Caitlin Gillespie 1, Jordan Bauder.
Boys
Polson 59, Hamilton 55
POLSON — Polson erased a 10-point second half deficit to take down Hamilton in Western A play.
The Pirates (2-2) made 9 of 10 free throws in the final quarter to snap a brief two-game losing streak.
“Offensively, we did things well as the game went on and we kind of took over in the fourth,” Polson coach Randy Kelley said. “But we’ve got to get better on defense, especially our transition defense.”
Matthew Rensvold led three Polson players in double-figures with 18 points. Payton Lefthand chipped in 12 and Tanner Wilson added 11.
Josh Heath led Hamilton with 11.
Polson will be idle until after the first of the year.
Hamilton 14 15 16 10 — 55
Polson 12 16 11 20 — 59
HAMILTON — Josh Heath 11, Bridger Bauder 3, Bret Huxtable 7, Ky Burch 6, Hunter Omlid 10, Jalan Taggart 4, Carter Kearns 14.
POLSON — Wyatt Ducharme 4, J’Von Niemeyer 2, Payton Lefthand 12, Tanner Wilson 11, Shade Main 4, Matthew Rensvold 18, Julian Jones 8.
Bigfork 59, Libby 37
LIBBY — Libby thrived at the 3-point line in building a 27-25 halftime lead, but Bigfork dominated the second half to earn a win in District 7B play.
After freshman Ryggs Johnston drilled a pair of second quarter triples, the Loggers had a 22-14 lead. The rest of the game, however, belonged to the visitors.
“They were playing really well,” Bigfork coach Sam Tudor said of Libby’s strong first half.
“George Gibson started getting going down low and that was a changer. It got our inside-outside game going a little bit.”
Gibson finished with 10 points as all five Vikings starters scored in double-figures. Jonathan Landon, Anders Eppers and Joseph Potkonjak all added 10. Adam Jordt led all scorers with 18.
Johnston scored 14 points in a losing effort.
“(Libby)’s a great addition to the district,” Tudor said. “They’re scary. They can play with anyone.”
Bigfork plays its final game of the calendar year Tuesday when it travels to take on Columbia Falls at 7:15 p.m. Libby is also in action Tuesday, hosting Troy at 7 p.m.
Bigfork 10 15 17 17 — 59
Libby 15 12 2 8 — 37
BIGFORK — Anders Epperly 10, Adam Jordt 18, Joseph Potkonjak 10, Jonathan Landon 10, George Gibson 10, Beau Santisteven 1.
LIBBY — Jonny Cielak 6, Ryggs Johnston 14, Anthony Johnson 11, Jason Brant 2, Erik Lauer 4.
Coeur d’Alene 67, Flathead 53
COEUR D’ALENE, Idaho — Flathead was outscored 25-12 in the second quarter and never recovered, losing its final game of the calendar year.
The Vikings turned a 15-14 first quarter deficit into a 39-27 halftime lead and held off the Braves in the second half.
“We played hard but we just couldn’t contain Coeur d’Alene’s fast break,” Flathead coach Ross Gustafson said.
Flathead (2-3) was led by Matt Marshall’s 13 points, including four 3-pointers. Tyler Johnson added 12 points off the bench.
The Braves had won two straight games before Saturday’s loss.
Flathead 15 12 15 11 — 53
Coeur d’Alene 14 25 18 10 — 67
FLATHEAD — Matt Marshall 4 1-2 13, Cade White 2 2-3 6, Kye AuClaire 1 2-4 4, Bridger Johnson 2 4-5 8, C.J. Dugan 1 0-0 2, Seth Adolph 0 0-0 0, Cooper Barrett 2 0-0 6, Wyatt Potter 0 0-0 0, Wyatt Smith 0 0-0 0, Tyler Johnson 4 2-2 12, Sam Elliott 0 0-0 0, Micah Bucy 1 0-0 2. Totals — 17 11-16 53.
COEUR D’ALENE — Sam Matheson 4 1-2 10, Bryce Bronson 5 3-4 13, Joey Naccarato 6 6-9 19, Justin Kofmehl 1 0-0 2, Isaac Edwards 0 0-0 0, Brody Lundblad 4 6-8 15, Jake Grinde 0 0-0 0, Jakob Lynn 3 0-0 7, Caden Bonacci 0 0-0 0, Will McElver 1 0-0 2, Caleb Baggerly 0 0-0 0, Jackson MacDonald 0 0-0 0. Totals — 24 16-23 67.
3-point field goals — Flathead 8 (Marshall 4, Barrett 2, T. Johnson 2), Coeur d’Alene 3 (Lundblad, Lynn, Matheson). Total fouls — Flathead 20, Coeur d’Alene 18. Fouled out — Flathead (White). Technical fouls — None. Records — Flathead (2-3).
Great Falls 83, Glacier 59
GREAT FALLS — Great Falls turned a six-point halftime lead into a third quarter blowout, running away from Glacier for a one-sided win.
The Bison outscored the Wolfpack (1-2) 24-5 in the third quarter to stretch their lead to 64-39. Brendan Howard scored 21 points for Great Falls to lead all scorers.
The teams shot a combined 59 free throws in the contest.
Tadan Gilman was the only Glacier player in double-figures with 16. John Learn added nine, going 5-for-5 from the free-throw line. Drake Dulin had eight.
The Wolfpack returns to the court Tuesday when it visits Butte at 5 p.m.
Glacier 14 20 5 20 — 59
Great Falls 22 18 24 19 — 83
GLACIER — Caden Harkins 0 1-2 1, Drake Dulin 2 2-2 8, Noah Lindsay 2 2-4 6, Jake Willich 2 2-5 7, Dylan Ruggles 1 3-4 5, John Learn 2 5-5 9, Pat O’Connell 1 0-1 2, Tadan Gilman 5 5-6 16, Jake Norberg 2 0-0 4, Torin Bowden 0 1-1 1. Totals — 17 21-31 59.
GREAT FALLS — Daniel Silverstein 5 5-8 16, Blake Thelen 2 0-0 4, Kody Torgerson 1 4-5 6. Kellan Romsa 3 0-0 8, Kyle Winkler 2 0-0 4, Reece Green 4 3-4 11, Riley Watt 1 3-6 5, Brendan Howard 8 3-5 21, KeAndre Hairston 2 0-0 4, Keaton Burcham 2 0-0 4. Totals — 30 18-28 83.
3-point field goals — Glacier 3 (Dulin, Willich, Gilman), Great Falls 5 (Howard 2, Romsa 2, Silverstein). Total fouls — Glacier 18, Great Falls 23. Fouled out — Great Falls (Romsa). Records — Glacier (1-2).
Frenchtown 61, Columbia Falls 53
COLUMBIA FALLS — Frenchtown took care of Columbia Falls to pick up a key road victory in Western A play.
The Wildcats are back in action Tuesday when they host Bigfork at 7:15 p.m.
No stats available at press time.