Lady Lions advance to semifinals on home floor
Eureka's Reena Truman goes up for a shot against Deer Lodge defender Emma Johnson at the Western B Divisional Basketball Tournament in Eureka Wednesday. (Jeremy Weber/Daily Inter Lake)
EUREKA — Kyla Bohne scored six of her game-high 14 points in the third quarter Wednesday as Eureka downed Deer Lodge 44-29 in the opening game of the Western B Divisional girls’ basketball tournament.
The Lions (12-5) will take on Missoula Loyola (16-3) in Thursday’s 6:30 p.m. semifinal at the Eureka gym. Loyola beat Bigfork 52-35 Wednesday.
Bigfork (8-10) and Deer Lodge (2-10) will play a loser-out game at 8 a.m. today.
In Wednesday’s evening action, Anaconda thumped Mission 66-32, and Thompson Falls beat Florence 48-22. The Blue Hawks (13-3) and Copperheads (12-5) will play Thursday’s late semifinal, scheduled for 8:15 p.m.
The Western B boys’ divisional commences Thursday.
Eureka 44, Deer Lodge 29
Rhianna Hawkins added 11 for the Lady Lions, who jumped out to a 5-0 lead in the game's opening minutes before going cold. Eureka trailed 15-9 after eight minutes, but regained the lead on a put-back by Hawkins midway through the second quarter.
A three by Bohne put Eureka up for good with 1:42 to play in the first half.
Eureka led 27-22 and offensive rebounds and a dynamic half-court press to take control in the second half.
The Lions lost their two regular-season games with Loyola by scores of 49-37 and 53-40.
Eureka 9 18 10 7 - 44
Deer Lodge 15 7 4 3 - 29
EUREKA — Kyla Bohne 14, Rhianna Hawkins 11, Katie Schmidt 6, Michael Shea 6, Jadyn Pluid 5, Renna Truman 2.
DEER LODGE — Taryn Lamb 10, Courtney Boese 9, Natalie Spring 5, Emma Johnson 3, Mary Hansen 2.
Loyola 52, Bigfork 35
Lani Walker popped in 17 points and Missoula Loyola jumped to a nine-point lead after one quarter.
Natalie Clevenger provided 11 points, and Brooke Twite and Kelsey Esh added eight apiece for the Breakers. Emma Berreth scored 13 and Scout Nadeau 12 for the Valkyries.
Bigfork 6 5 13 11 - 35
Loyola 15 14 15 8 - 52
BIGFORK — Emma Berreth 13, Scout Nadeau 12, Callie Gambala 3, Madison Chappius 2, Callie Martinz 2, Ellie Jordt 2, Alexis Saari 1.
LOYOLA — Lani Walker 17, Natalie Clevenger 11, Brook Twite 8, Kelsey Esther 8, Lenae Schafer 4, Laney Denning 4.
Anaconda 66, Mission 32
Mia Sullivan-Sanders staked Anaconda to an 18-5 lead with eight first-quarter points, and the Copperheads never looked back.
Alyssa Peterson’s 14 points led Anaconda. Makena Patrick added 11. Sam Johnson and reserive Mariyah Lunceford matched Sullivan-Sanders’ eight points.
Kooper Page hit three 3-pointers and led Mission with nine points.
Thompson Falls 48, Florence 26
Jody Detlaff scored 13 points and the Bluehawks outscored Florence 23-8 in the second half.
Morgan Baxter scored 10 points, eight in the first half; Faith Frields scored eight of her 11 in the second half. Frields hit three 3-pointers for Thompson Falls.
Kassidy Yeoman and Kolbi Wood scored seven points each for the Falcons (6-9), who play Mission (10-8) in a 9:45 a.m. loser-out.