Browning, C-Falls girls lose in State A action

MISSOULA — Browning fell into the loser’s bracket Thursday, and Columbia Falls fell out of it.

The defending champion Havre Blue Ponies cashed in at the line and beat Browning 66-37 at the State A girls basketball tournament Thursday. In the late game that also had its share of free throws, Miles City eliminated Columbia Falls 51-50.

Havre (20-2) advanced to Friday’s 8 p.m. semifinal against Dillon (22-2). Dillon beat Butte Central 67-52. Hardin and Billings Central advanced to the 6:30 p.m. semi with their wins on Wednesday.

Browning (17-6) will take on the Maroons (21-5) at noon Friday.

Havre 66, Browning 37

Havre improved to 3-0 against the Lady Indians behind 18 points from Sadie Filius — including an 11-for-11 performance at the line — and 12 more for Yelana Miller.

The Blue Ponies scored the first nine points of the game, led 29-15 on two Miller free throws late in the first half, and then held Browning to two third-quarter points.

Fouls were an issue: Browning racked up 37 of them, and four of its players fouled out. Havre went 37-for-46 at the line (18-for-21 during a foul-fest of a fourth quarter) while the Lady Indians were 19-for-23.

Mecca Bullchild scored a game-high 19 for Browning, including a buzzer-beating 15-footer that pared Havre’s lead to 31-21 at the half.

Browning 4 17 2 14 - 37

Havre 11 20 11 24 - 66

BROWNING — Natalie St. Goddard 0-2 0-0 0, Mecca Bullchild 4-13 10-10 19, Amari Calfrobe 0-6 0-0 0, Jerel Whitegrass 1-6 5-7 7, Brailey Racine 0-1 2-2 2, Sugar Spoonhunter 0-3 1-2 1, Kinsley Bird 2-6 0-0 4, Cara Guardipee 1-3 0-0 3, Kalcie Connelly 0-1 0-0 0, Tashlynn Lazy Boy 0-3 1-2 1, Lish Spoonhunter 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 8-44 19-23 37.

HAVRE — Lacy Preeshl 2-5 1-4 5, Jade Wendland 2-10 1-3 6, Avery Carlson 1-4 6-6 9, Yelena Miller 2-4 8-8 12, Sadie Filius 3-6 11-11 18, Alyssa Oliver 1-5 5-6 7, Lizzi Haney 1-2 0-0 0, Danni Wirtzberger 0-0 2-2 2, Kyanna Jarvis 1-2 1-4 3, Kenzie Kallenberger 0-0 2-2 2, Molly Huse 0-1 0-0 0, Tierra Parker 0-1 0-0 0. Totals 13-40 37-46 66.

3-point goals — Browning 2-15 (Bullchild 1-3, Guardipee 1-2, S. Spoonunter 0-1, Calf Robe 0-4, Bird 0-3, Lazy Boy 0-2), Havre 3-18 (Carlson 1-2, Filius 1-3, Wendland 1-9). Rebounds — Browning 28 (Whitegrass 8), Havre 44 (Preeshl 8, Miller 8). Fouls — Browning 37, Havre 212. Fouled out — St. Goddard, S. Spoonhunter, L. Spoonhunter, Lazy Boy. Blocks — Browning 0, Havre 5 (5 with 1). Steals — Browning 7 (Bird 2), Havre 11 (Filius 4). Turnovers — Browning 20, Havre 17.

Dillon 67, Butte Central 54

Ainsley Shipman scored 16 points to lead Dillon, which led 16-4 early and 48-28 after three quarters.

Halle Fitzgerald added 14 points for the Beavers, while Lauryn Peterson added 11 and Kylie Konen, 10.

A 26-point fourth quarter helped Butte Central make the game seem closer that it was. The high point for the Maroons was Brooke Badovinac’s 31 points. They gave her 641 for the season, making her the most prolific single-season score in Butte’s high school history according to Buttesports.com.

Joe Antonietti, the longtime Flathead girls’ coach, had the old record of 638.

Miles City 51, Columbia Falls 50

The game featured four free throws in the final 7 seconds, with Hope McAtee cashing in two for a 50-49 Columbia Falls lead.

The Cowgirls (13-10) got the ball to Lainey Smith, who drove the length of the court and drew a foul. Her two free throws with 1 second left won it.

McAtee had a game: 28 points and seven rebounds. She hit a three to draw the Wildkats to 45-44 with 1:45 left, and scored with 25 seconds remaining to cut Miles City’s lead to 49-48.

Her free throws with :07 left marked the ninth lead change of the game.

Veronica Turck led the Cowgirls with 16 points, hitting four 3-pointers. Smith had 13 and Alli Glasscock 10.

Maddie Robison scored 14 points, three assists and five steals for the Kats, who ended up 16-8.

Loser out

Miles City 12 9 13 17 - 51

C-Falls 9 12 12 17 - 50

MILES CITY — Lainey Smith 5-13 2-4 13, Heidi Phalen 1-5 1-23, Veronica Turck 6-10 0-0 16, Alora Baker 1-3 0-0 2, Reagan LaPlante 0-1 0-0 0, Sam Pella 2-4 1-2 5, Jillian Kanduch 0-2 2-5 2, Alli Glasscock 3-4 4-6 10, Camdyn Waterman 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 18-42 10-19 51.

COLUMBIA FALLS — Grace Gedlaman 2-6 0-0 4, Hope McAtee 9-20 9-9 28, Madeline Stutsman 0-1 0-0 0, Maddie Robison 5-12 3-6 14, Alexis Green 1-1 1-2 3, Abbie Darsaw 0-0 0-0 0, Lexi Oberholtzer 0-3 0-0 0, Scout Mehus 0-0 1-2 1, Demye Rensel 0-3 0-0 0. Totals 17-46 14-19 50.

3-point goals — MC 5-14 (turck 4-6, Smith 1-6, Phalen 0-1, Kanduch 0-1), CF 2-10 (Robison 1-4, McAtee 1-5, Oberholtzer 0-1). Rebounds — MC 35 (Smith 6, Baker 6, Glassock 6), CF 27 (McAtee 7, Gadlaman 6). Fouls — MC 16, CF 17. Blocks — MC 2 (Baker 2), CF 0. Steals — MC 5 (Peila 2), CF 15 (Robison 5, Green 4). Turnovers — MC 19, CF 11.