State B boys basketball: Choteau defeats Vikings
GREAT FALLS — The Bigfork boys won’t repeat as state champions, falling 62-53 to a hot-shooting Choteau team in the second half of their semifinal game on Friday in the Class B state basketball tournament at Four Seasons Arena.
Choteau, which had shot 2 for 15 from 3-point range in the first half, made 4 of 8 from deep in the third quarter to turn a two-point halftime lead into a 49-39 lead with a minute left in the frame.
Bigfork edged closer to Choteau multiple times in the fourth quarter but never got closer than six points, struggling with offensive fouls and poor free-throw shooting. Of the Vikings’ 18 personal fouls, six came on charges in the lane, as a crafty Choteau defense took advantage of Bigfork’s aggressiveness. Each charge came at a time the Vikings seemed to be building a comeback. Bigfork was also just 50 percent from the free-throw line in the game, including 2 for 6 as it fell behind in the third quarter.
“We just charged too much,” Bigfork coach Sam Tudor said.
“It’s terrible. We took two weeks just to talk about that. The scouting report says Bigfork charges a lot. There were some times where there wasn’t a lot of contact but there was enough for a charge. It’s just too bad.”
Choteau took control midway through the first quarter, attacking the paint to build a nine-point lead with less than a minute to play and an 18-10 lead entering the second.
Bigfork went on an 11-4 run to start the second, and cut its deficit to 22-21 behind back-to-back 3-pointers from Joseph Potkonjak and Ryder Trent. Even as Choteau stretched the lead out to seven points with some timely 3s of its own, the Vikings kept their foot on the gas, closing the frame on a 7-2 run to enter halftime down just 31-29.
It was the deep shot, with three 3s from Bulldogs junior guard Derrek Durocher in the third quarter, which changed the game.
While Choteau built its lead back to 10 points, Bigfork went 4 for 11 from the field and 1 for 4 from the free-throw line. The Vikings were just 1 for 7 from the 3-point line in the second half.
“Choteau is just a good team,” Tudor said. “They came down, got into their rhythm. We just couldn’t get that lead.”
Isaac Martel had 12 points and Ryder Trent 10 to lead Bigfork. Josh Sandry had nine points and nine rebounds.
Dylan Pannabecker scored 20 points and had nine rebounds to lead Choteau. Durocher had 14 points and Liam Breen 11.
Bigfork will play Rocky Boy at 9 a.m. at Great Falls C.M. Russell High School in a loser-out semifinal today. The winner of that game will advance to the third-place game against the winner of the other consolation semifinal between Columbus and Huntley Project, the top two teams from the Southern division.
“We’re still playing on Saturday at the state tournament,” Tudor said.
“There’s nothing to be ashamed of with that. It’s a tough bracket with tough games.”
Bigfork 10 19 11 13 — 53
Choteau 18 13 18 13 — 62
BIGFORK - Adam Jordt 3-4 0-0 7, Joseph Potkonjak 2-3 0-1 6, Isaac Martel 5-9 2-4 12, Tyler Piazzola 0-1 1-2 1, Jonathan Landon 3-6 3-5 9, Josh Sandry 3-7 4-8 10, Ryder Trent 2-7 2-4 8. Totals: 18-37 12-24 53.
CHOTEAU - Liam Breen 5-10 0-0 11, Collin Achenbach 3-7 3-4 9, Derrek Durocher 5-12 0-0 14, Dylan Pannabecker 8-14 3-4 20, Logan Howard 4-4 0-0 8. Totals: 25-53 6-8 62.
3-point goals - Bigfork 5-12 (Trent 2, Potkonjak 2, Jordt), Choteau 6-26 (Durocher 4, Pannabecker, Breen). Rebounds - Bigfork 27 (Landon 9), Choteau 28 (Pannabecker 9). Assists - Bigfork 11 (Martel 5), Choteau 19 (Achenbach 9). Steals - Bigfork 8 (Martel 4), Choteau 7 (Achenbach 3). Total fouls - Bigfork 18, Choteau 20. Fouled out - Bigfork, Landon.
Semifinal
Huntley 12 11 17 21 — 61
Loyola 18 17 17 19 — 71
HUNTLEY PROJECT — Breyden Rose 1-1 0-0 3, Dallas Mack 0-8 3-5 3, Matt Wurnig 0-1 0-0 0, Kaleb Reynolds 9-15 6-8 27, Yancey Fitch 2-7 2-7 Dustin Oblender 2-4 0-0 4, Michael Jobman 2-11 10-12 14, Bryce Peterson 0-0 2-2 2, Quincy Wittman 1-5 0-0 2. Totals: 17-52 23-34 61.
MISSOULA LOYOLA — Tommy Tirrell 4-7 2-5 12, Braden Burke 2-3 2-2 6, Kevin Swanson 5-9 4-4 15, Stephen Sellman 7-9 5-9 19, Michael Vancanagan 0-4 0-0 0, Danner Linhart 4-5 1-2 9, Strother Cooper 0-3 1-2 1, Sam Johnston 2-6 4-4 9. Totals: 24-46 19-28 71.
3-point goals: Huntley 4-12 (Rose 1-1, Mack 0-4, Reynolds 3-4, Fitch 0-3), Loyola 4-7 (Tirrell 2-3, Swanson 1-2, Johnston 1-2); Rebounds: Huntley 29 (Jobman 8), Loyola 39 (Sellman 13); Turnovers: Huntley 7, Loyola 15; Team fouls: Huntley 22, Loyola 21; Fouled out: Reynolds.
Loser-out games
Rocky Boy 7 14 17 16 — 54
Big Timber 13 13 7 20 — 53
ROCKY BOY – Bubby Gopher 2-7 0-0 6, Skylar Parisian 5-7 2-6 12, Jr. Day Child 5-14 1-2 11, Shadow Laforge 2-6 2-5 6, Lonnie Plain Bull 1-7 2-2, Cecil Lafromboise 7-10 0-2 15. Totals 22-51 7-17 54.
BIG TIMBER – 2-8 1-2 6, Brent Finn 8-23 4-5 22, Cody Hathaway 0-3 0-0 0, Ryan Morgan 4-6 0-2 12, Luke Rech 2-9 3-4 7, Drew Pike 2-9 2-2 6. Totals 18-58 10-15 53.
Columbus 28 15 20 22 — 85
St. Labre 10 11 16 20 — 57
COLUMBUS – Kade Osborne 6-11 0-0 12, Kiefer McKay 8-11 7-8 23, Trey Ostrum 8-11 6-8 25, Braden Marjerison 2-2 0-0 4, Tanner Osborne 7-10 0-0 15, Ryland Stampel 1-1 0-1 2, Andrew Wells 1-2 1-3 3, Jackson Booth 0-4 0-0 0, Jace Aumueller 0-1 0-0 0. Totals 33-57 15-21 85.
ST. LABRE – Virgil McCormick 2-11 0-1 4, Micah Frasier 0-1 1-2 1, Wally Three Irons 0-3 0-0 0, Brett Pretty On Top 2-3 0-0 5, Dallen Barlett 2-7 0-0 5, Patrick Frasier 1-2 0-0 2, Xavier Little Head 3-6 1-2 7, Jomiah Black Eagle 1-2 0-0 2, Victor Yarlott 8-15 1-2 18, Levi Haugen 0-0 1-2 1, Cyle Black Eagle 0-1 0-0 0, Jediah Plain Bull 6-9 0-0 12. Totals 25-60 4-9 57.
3-point goals – Columbus 4-9 (Kade Osborne 0-1, Ostrum 3-6, Tanner Osborne 1-1, Jackson Booth 0-1), St. Labre 3-17 (McCormick 0-5, Pretty On Top 1-2, Barlett 1-2, Frasier 0-1, Little Head 0-3, Yarlott 1-4) . Total fouls – Columbus 14, St. Labre 14. Fouled out – none. Rebounds – Columbus 35 (Tanner Osborne 12), St. Labre 24 (Little Head 6).
—————
Today’s Schedule
Loser-out games
9 a.m. — Columbus vs. Huntley Project
9 a.m. — Bigfork vs. Rocky Boy
Consolation Final
3:30 p.m. — 9 a.m. loser-out winners
Championship
6:30 p.m. — Choteau vs. Missoula Loyola