Second quarter blitz dooms Flathead
Flathead's Joston Cripe (34) drives into the lane guarded by Missoula Sentinel's Soren Syvrud (10) at Flathead High School on Saturday. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
Flathead's Ezra Epperly (33) grabs a rebound against Missoula Sentinel at Flathead High School on Saturday. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
Flathead's Gabe Adams (24) gets to the hoop against Missoula Sentinel's Alex Germer (5) at Flathead High School on Saturday. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
Flathead's Joston Cripe (34) gets to the hoop past Missoula Sentinel's Hayden Kolb (23) at Flathead High School on Saturday. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
Flathead's Hunter Hickey (10) draws a foul on his way to the basket against Missoula Sentinel's Kaden Sheridan (30) at Flathead High School on Saturday. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
Flathead's Ezra Epperly (33) shoots over Missoula Sentinel's Hayden Kolb (23) at Flathead High School on Saturday. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
Flathead's Hunter Hickey (10) takes the ball to the hoop against Missoula Sentinel at Flathead High School on Saturday. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
Flathead's Joston Cripe (34) scoops up a steal from Missoula Sentinel's Hayden Kolb (23) at Flathead High School on Saturday. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
Flathead's Ezra Epperly (33) goes to the hoop against Missoula Sentinel's Soren Syvrud (12) at Flathead High School on Saturday. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
Flathead's Hunter Hickey (10) takes the ball to the basket ahead of Missoula Sentinel's Tony Frohlich-Fair (3) at Flathead High School on Saturday. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
The Missoula Sentinel Spartans showed why they’re unbeaten Saturday at the Flathead gym, displaying just a little more shooting, defense and poise.
The end result, a 73-57 victory that left Flathead’s record at 4-4, was mostly decided in the second quarter. The Spartans (9-0), who’d already eaten up a 10-3 deficit in the first to lead 18-15, exploded for 26 points in the next period.
Tony Frohlich-Fair, Hayden Kolb and T.J. Rausch all hit 3-pointers in the frame as the gap grew to 26-17, 29-20 and 42-27. A steal by Alex Germer led to two free throws and a 44-27 lead at the half.
“That second quarter really jumped up and hurt us,” Flathead coach Dirk Johnsrud said. “Turnovers, and you know I thought we lost our composure. We did some good things at times, had some really good looks. But the ball didn’t drop for us very well and they just kind of extended their lead.
“But I’m very proud of how the kids competed.”
Flathead tightened up its possessions and defense in a physical third quarter, though the Spartans got a last-second three from Kaden Sheridan to lead 53-38.
The Braves continued to battle in the fourth period and trailed 63-51 after Gabe Adams hit two free throws with 2:58 left.
Adams – who had scored nine fourth-quarter points – then had a reach-in foul, his fifth, and voiced his frustration next to an official. Technical.
Germer, who had 23 points, hit both free throws. Frohlich-Fair drove for a layup on the ensuing possession and it was 67-51, with 2:30 left.
“Again, I thought we lost our composure a few times tonight,” Johnsrud said. “We’re working on being disciplined. As a team, as a whole, we need to get better at that.”
Adams had 12 points, and he and Ethan VandenBosch each snared eight rebounds. Hunter Hickey had 15 points to go with four steals. Joston Cripe handed out seven assists and Ezra Epperly blocked four shots.
Sentinel, though, had the answers. Skye Palmer led the Spartans’ bench with 10 points and six boards. Frohlich-Fair had 12 points and four steals. Kolb had 13 points, 11 in the first half. His two 3-pointers led Sentinel back from that early 10-3 hole.
Flathead’s next action is Thursday at Missoula Hellgate, before Butte visits next Saturday.
Sentinel 18 26 9 20 - 73
Flathead 15 12 11 19 - 57
MISSOULA SENTINEL - Hayden Kolb 5-9 0-0 13, Tony Frohlich-Fair 5-13 1-1 12, Alex Germer 4-12 13-16 23, T.J. Rausch 2-4 0-0 5, Soren Syvrud 0-2 1-2 1, Dayton Bay 0-0 0-0 0, Skye Palmer 4-6 1-2 10, Finn Beighle 0-0 0-0 0, Kaden Sheridan 3-5 0-0 7, Parker Lindsay 0-2 2-4 2, Haiden Crews 0-1 0-0 0, Peyton Stevens 0-1 0-0 0. Totals 13-29 18-26 73.
FLATHEAD - Ethan VandenBosch 3-12 2-2 9, Gabe Adams 2-5 7-8 12, Ezra Epperly 3-12 0-1 6, Joston Cripe 1-6 4-4 6, Hunter Hickey 6-12 3-4 15, Luca Zoeller 1-3 2-2 5, Gavin Chouinard 1-3 0-0 3, Tommy Wells 0-0 0-0 00, Connor Phillips 0-1 0-0 0, Cody Ramer 0-0 0-0 0, Drew Lowry 0-0 0-0 0, Tyler Larson 0-0 1-2 1. Totals 17-54 19-23 57.
3-point goals - Sentinel 9-28 (Kolb 3-6, Palmer 1-2, Sheridan 1-3, Rausch 1-1, Germer 2-8, Frohlich-Fair 1-5), Flathead 4-18 (Chouinard 1-1, Adams 1-1, VandenBosch 1-6, Zoeller 1-2, Hickey 0-4, Cripe 0-4). Rebounds - Sentinel 35 (Germer 10), Flathead 36 (Adams 8, VandenBosch 8). Fouls - Sentinel 19, Flathead 21. Fouled out - Adams. Technical foul - Adams. Blocks - Sentinel 1 (Kolb), Flathead 6 (Epperly 4, Vanbdenbosch, Zoeller). Steals - Sentinel 11 (Frohlich-Fair 4), Flathead 12 (Hickey 4). Turnovers - Sentinel 21, Flathead 25.
