BOYS BASKETBALL: Bigfork edged by Choteau in Class B state championship game

BUTTE — Bigfork fell behind double-digits in the first quarter and would never catch Choteau as the Bulldogs completed an undefeated season and won their second straight Class B state boys basketball championship, 67-59, at the Butte Civic Center on Saturday evening.

In a battle of the last two state champions, the Bulldogs (26-0) raced in front 12-2 and maintained a lead throughout. The Vikings were able to stay within single digits and pulled within four points in the fourth quarter, but they could never quite get all the way back.

“I think there were definitely some nerves involved,” Bigfork coach Sam Tudor said of his team’s slow start.

“The way we were attacking the hoop and the way we were executing our offensive was dang near perfect. Normally at halftime I make adjustments but I didn’t adjust a thing. I really felt the shots would start falling and to some degree they did but not enough.”

The Vikings (24-2) shot 41.2 percent from the field but made just one 3-pointer in eight tries, with that make coming in the final seconds.

Bigfork was also undone by turnovers, committing 32 in the loss.

Senior-laden Bigfork — all but two of the seven Vikings who played were seniors — experienced an emotional post-game locker room.

“I told my seniors that they’re a part of this program forever in the future and I could not be more proud of them,” Tudor said.

“They fought hard. We couldn’t round the corner; this is a one-time opportunity and it didn’t go our way.

“These boys competed hard to get what they earned, which is a second-place trophy. I’m honored to be a part of what we did this year.”

Senior Adam Jordt led Bigfork with 18 points and 10 rebounds. Jonathan Landon added 12 points and seven boards.

Bigfork outrebounded Choteau 38-21 and snared 11 offensive rebounds. Garrett Beville corralled nine boards off the Vikings bench.

Bigfork held Choteau’s Derrek Durocher to just two 3-point makes one day after he connected on nine triples in the semifinals, but Dylan Pannabecker picked up the slack, scoring 27 points and pulling down six rebounds.

The loss snapped Bigfork’s 15-game winning streak and was just the Vikings’ second loss of the year. Choteau, meanwhile, has won 52 games in a row spanning the last two-plus seasons.

Championship Game

Choteau 67, Bigfork 59

Bigfork 6 16 16 21 — 59

Choteau 12 17 17 21 — 67

BIGFORK — Anders Epperly 3-9 3-3 9, Adam Jordt 5-11 8-8 18, Joseph Potkonjak 3-10 0-0 7, Jonathan Landon 5-12 2-2 12, George Gibson 3-4 2-4 8, Logan Taylor 1-1 0-0 2, Garrett Beville 1-4 1-2 3. Totals — 21-51 16-19 59.

CHOTEAU — Marshall Willekes 2-4 0-0 6, Darrien Garcia 1-4 1-2 3, Collin Achenbach 4-10 3-5 12, Derrek Durocher 5-12 7-7 19, Dylan Pannabecker 9-17 9-12 27. Jonathan Moore 0-2 0-0 0. Totals — 21-49 20-26 67.

3-point field goals — Bigfork 1-8 (Potkonjak 1-7, Landon 0-1), Choteau 5-15 (Durocher 2-6, Willekes 2-4, Achenbach 1-2, Pannabecker 0-2, Garcia 0-1). Rebounds — Bigfork 38 (Jordt 10, Beville 9), Choteau 24 (Pannabecker 6, Durocher 5). Turnovers — Bigfork 32, Choteau 19. Total fouls — Bigfork 21, Choteau 17. Fouled out — Bigfork (Landon). Technical fouls — None.

Consolation Final

Townsend 48, Jefferson 46, 2OT

Jefferson 11 10 14 5 4 2 — 46

Townsend 7 9 12 12 4 4 — 48

JEFFERSON — A.J. Eckmann 2-10 2-3 6, Jered Padmos 0-2 1-2 1, Josh Eckmann 4-7 1-2 13, Noah Fader 1-3 0-0 2, Trase Letexier 8-20 4-5 20, Josh Leary 0-1 0-0 0, Zachary Shanholtzer 1-5 0-2 2, Rahkei Eyer 1-2 0-0 2. Totals — 17-50 8-14 46.

TOWNSEND — Jace Lewis 4-10 5-8 14, Quade McQueary 8-12 1-3 17, Austin Bessette 0-1 0-0 0, Teigen Snyder 1-3 1-2 3, Easton Hatfield 5-8 1-2 13, Jaden Graveley 0-2 1-2 1, Scott Demars 0-0 0-0 0, Quinn Lelacheur 0-0 0-0 0. Totals — 18-36 9-17 48.

3-point field goals — Jefferson 4-18 (J. Eckmann 4-6, A. Eckmann 0-8, Fader 0-1, Letexier 0-1, Leary 0-1, Shanholtzer 0-1), Townsend 3-13 (Hatfield 2-3, Lewis 1-6, McQueary 0-2, Bessette 0-1, Graveley 0-1). Rebounds — Jefferson 30 (Letexier 9), Townsend 30 (Hatfield 12). Turnovers — Jefferson 11, Townsend 17. Total fouls — Jefferson 15, Townsend 15. Fouled out — None. Technical fouls — None.

Loser-Out Games

Jefferson 56, Big Timber 54, 2OT

Jefferson 4 15 8 12 2 15 — 56

Big Timber 6 9 14 10 2 13 — 54

JEFFERSON — A.J. Eckmann 4-9 11-12 22, Jered Padmos 0-2 2-2 2, Josh Eckmann 4-8 2-4 12, Noah Fader 1-4 0-0 2, Trase Letexier 4-7 1-2 9, Josh Leary 0-2 0-0 0, Zachary Shanholtzer 3-4 2-2 9, Rahkei Eyer 0-0 0-0 0. Totals — 16-36 18-22 56.

BIG TIMBER — Ryan Morgan 1-7 2-2 4, Brent Finn 7-15 3-3 17, Luke Rech 3-10 3-4 9, Sam Curry 0-1 0-0 0, Drew Pike 4-5 0-0 8, Toby Wipf 0-0 0-0 0, Blake Finn 4-5 0-0 12, Cody Hathaway 1-2 0-1 2, Weston Lavoy 0-1 2-2 2, Billy Stevens 0-0 0-0 0. Totals — 20-46 10-12 54.

3-point field goals — Jefferson 6-18 (A. Eckmann 3-7, J. Eckmann 2-5, Shanholtzer 1-1, Fader 0-3, Leary 0-2), Big Timber 4-14 (Bl. Finn 4-5, Br. Finn 0-4, Morgan 0-2, Curry 0-1, Hathaway 0-1, Lavoy 0-1). Rebounds — Jefferson 23 (Letexier 9), Big Timber 26 (Rech 8). Turnovers — Jefferson 21, Big Timber 23. Total fouls — Jefferson 13, Big Timber 18. Fouled out — None. Technical fouls — None.

Townsend 48, Florence 43

Florence 11 12 13 7 — 43

Townsend 11 12 11 14 — 48

FLORENCE — Bo Zeiler 1-5 2-3 4, Marcus Zeiler 2-4 0-0 4, Levi Clagett 6-17 0-1 14, Cody Liles 1-1 1-2 3, Dan Mickelson 3-10 1-2 7, Levi Edwards 0-0 0-0 0, Jake Christopherson 4-8 3-6 11. Totals — 17-45 7-14 43.

TOWNSEND — Jace Lewis 3-10 0-1 8, Quade McQueary 1-5 2-3 5, Austin Bessette 3-4 1-3 8, Teigen Snyder 7-12 2-4 16, Easton Hatfield 2-4 2-2 6, Jaden Graveley 1-4 0-0 3, Scott Demars 0-3 0-0 0, Quinn Lelacheur 1-3 0-0 2. Totals — 18-45 7-13 48.

3-point field goals — Florence 2-10 (Clagett 2-5, Christopherson 0-4, Zeiler 0-1), Townsend 5-21 (Lewis 2-6, McQueary 1-4, Graveley 1-4, Bessette 1-2, Demars 0-3, Hatfield 0-1, Lelacheur 0-1). Rebounds — Florence 35 (Clagett 8, Liles 8), Townsend 32 (Snyder 9). Turnovers — Florence 14, Townsend 13. Total fouls — Florence 16, Townsend 15. Fouled out — None. Technical fouls — None.