Class B state basketball: Bigfork boys hold on, nip Columbus, 53-50
GREAT FALLS — Defending state champion Bigfork pulled out a tough 53-50 first-round victory over a determined Columbus squad at the Class B state boys basketball tournament on Thursday at Four Seasons Arena.
Josh Sandy, who led Bigfork in scoring with 13 points, hit the front end of the bonus down the stretch to give Bigfork the three-point edge. That was also the last point scored in the contest.
Columbus had two chances after that, missing the front end of the bonus with 15 seconds to play and then Tanner Osborne was off the mark with a game-tying 3-point field goal just before the final buzzer.
Sandry rebounded Osborne’s miss to end the game.
This matchup was a rematch of last year’s title game, won by Bigfork 71-62 in Bozeman. That gave Bigfork a 26-0 record.
Isaac Martel added 11 points for Bigfork.
Kiefer McKay scored 19 points for Columbus. Tanner Osborne added 12 and Trey Ostrum 11.
Bigfork (22-2) advances to semifinal action today at 3:30 p.m. versus Choteau, an 80-42 winner over St. Labre.
Columbus (18-5) and St. Labre have a loser-out game today at 9 a.m.
In other first-round play, Huntley Project outscored Rocky Boy 89-81 and Missoula Loyola spilled Big Timber 58-54 in overtime.
Bigfork 11 13 16 13 — 53
Columbus 13 9 16 12 — 50
BIGFORK – Adam Jordt 3 1-2 7, Joseph Potkonjak 1 0-1 2, Isaac Martel 5 0-0 11, Tyler Piazzola 3 1-2 7, Jonathan Landon 2 2-2 8, Josh Sandry 5 3-8 13, Ryder Trent 2 0-1 5. Totals 21 7-16 53.
COLUMBIA FALLS – Kade Osborne 1 2-5 4, Kiefer McKay 9 0-0 19, Trey Ostrum 4 2-2 11, Tanner Osborne 5 2-3 12, Ryland Stampel 0 2-2 2, Brady Exner 1 0-0 2. Totals 20 8-12 50.
3-point goals – Bigfork 4-13 (Landon 2-3), Columbus 2-12 (McKay 1-1, Ostrum 1-5). Total Fouls – Bigfork 10, Columbus 18. Fouled out – none. Total rebounds – Bigfork 30 (Landon 10), Columbus 27 (Stampel 9, T. Osborne 9).
Choteau 22 21 27 10 — 80
St. Labre 8 10 14 10 — 42
CHOTEAU – Liam Breen 5 2-2 14, Darrien Garcia 3 2-2 8, Collin Achenbach 5 0-0 10, Derrek Durocher 7 8-10 24, Dylan Pannabecker 6 3-4 16, Logan Howard 1 2-2 4, Zane Hanusa 2 0-0 4. Totals 29 17-20 80.
ST. LABRE – Virgil McCormick 0 1-2 1, Brett Pretty On Top 1 2-2 4, Patrick Frasier 2 0-0 4, Jomiah Black Eagle 3 1-1 7, Victor Yarlott 5 1-4 12, Levi Haugen 4 1-1 9, Cyle Black Eagle 0 1-3 1, Jediah Plain Bull 1 0-0 2. Totals 16 9-15 42.
3-point goals – Choteau 5-20 (Breen 2-4, Durocher 2-6), St. Labre 1-13 (Yarlott 1-3). Total fouls – Choteau 19, St. Labre 15. Fouled out – none. Rebounds – Choteau 38 (Pannabecker 6), St. Labre 27 (Haugen 6).
Huntley Project 19 18 24 28 — 89
Rocky Boy 17 14 21 29 — 81
HUNTLEY PROJECT – Dallas Mack 3 1-2 7, Kaleb Reynolds 7 6-10 20, Yancey Fitch 7 9-12 27, Dustin Oblender 3 4-6 10, Michael Jobman 6 2-4 14, Bryce Peterson 0 2-2 2, Quincy Wittman 3 3-3 9. Totals 29 27-39 89.
ROCKY BOY – Bubby Gopher 3 2-2 9, Skylar Parisian 7 3-4 18, Jr. Day Child 8 0-1 16, Shadow Laforge 1 3-4 5, Jarrell Gopher 1 0-0 2, Lonnie Plain Bull 3 0-0 7, Cecil Lafromboise 11 1-4 24. Totals 34 9-15 81.
3-point goals – Huntley Project 4-9 (Fitch 4-8), Rocky Boy 4-18 (Four with one). Total fouls – Huntley Project 13, Rocky Boy 27. Fouled out – Parisian, Plain Bull. Rebounds – Huntley Project 38 (Oblender 10), Rocky Boy 26 (Lafromboise 7).
Loyola 12 9 17 12 8 — 58
Big Timber 10 10 16 14 4 — 54
MISSOULA LOYOLA – Tommy Tirrell 0 1-2 1, Braden Burke 2 0-1 4, Kevin Swanson 7 2-5 19, Stephen Sellman 3 2-2 8, Michael Vancanagan 4 2-2 10, Danner Linhart 3 2-6 8, Strother Cooper 1 0-0 2, Sam Johnston 2 1-4 6. Totals 22 19-23 58.
BIG TIMBER – Walker Lavoy 1 0-0 2, Brent Finn 7 12-13 27, Cody Hathaway 2 2-3 7, Ryan Morgan 2 2-3 6, Luke Rech 4 0-1 8, Drew Pike 1 2-2 4. Totals 17 18-22 54.
3-point goals – Loyola 4-10 (Swanson 3-5), Big Timber 2-8 (Finn 1-2, Hathaway 1-2). Total fouls – Loyola 22, Big Timber 23. Fouled out – Cooper, Rech, Hathaway. Total rebounds – Loyola 32 (Swanson 7), Big Timber 26 (Pike 6).
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Today’s Schedule
Loser-out games
9 a.m. — Columbus vs. St. Labre
10:30 a.m. — Rocky Boy vs. Big Timber
Semifinals
3:30 p.m. — Bigfork vs. Choteau
5 p.m. — Huntley Project vs. Missoula Loyola