State AA Boys: Gallatin knocks out Glacier

BILLINGS — A second straight slow start meant a second straight loss for the Glacier Wolfpack, which bowed out of the State AA boys basketball tournament with a 63-42 loss to Gallatin Friday.

Eli Hunter got the Raptors (13-11) out early with four first-quarter 3-pointers; he had 14 points in the period and 19 by halftime, when Gallatin led 39-20 at First Interstate Arena.

The Wolfpack stayed even from there, but ended up 10-14.

Helena Capital and Bozeman will meet for the championship Saturday, after both won their semifinals by the identical 53-50 score, though Capital needed overtime to beat defending champion Billings Skyview.

Gallatin 63, Glacier 42

Hunter was a one-man wrecking crew, coming up with seven steals and knocking down six 3-pointers in nine attempts. He scored 30 points.

“They did shoot well,” Glacier coach Mark Harkins said of the Raptors. “We changed defenses on Hunter, went to three different defenses on him, and he just shot the ball well. Credit to him for having a great day.”

Garrett Dahlke hit two more threes and had 10 points for Gallatin, which earned its first State AA win for the Bozeman school that opened in 2020.

Connor Sullivan hit three 3-pointers and scored 17 points for Glacier, which fell behind early in a 51-46 loss to Billings Skyview on Thursday. Fellow senior Will Salonen scored four points, grabbed six boards, had two steals and blocked a shot in his final game.

The Pack was at state for a second straight year, and advanced after losing John Pyron to a broken arm in the final regular-season game, at Missoula Big Sky.

Glacier went 3-1 at the ensuing Western AA Divisional, capping a run of 7 wins in 10 games. Kyson Wagner and Jake Turner were key reserves, and Nolan Hyde started at forward.

“The seniors were amazing this year, all six of them,” Harkins said. “They were incredibly committed not just to our program, but to the school. They do a lot of great things. I’m going to miss them.”

Gallatin 20 19 16 8 - 63

Glacier 10 10 11 11 - 42

GALLATIN — Eli Hunter 11-18 2-2 30, Garrett Dalhke 3-7 2-2 10, Jake Vigen 2-4 1-2 5, Quinn Clark 2-4 2-2 6, Logan Springer 0-2 0-0 0, Tyler Nansel 2-5 2-3 7, Ryan Nansel 1-2 0-0 2, Jake Repacher 0-0 0-0 0, Zad Rodarte 1-2 0-0 2, Cash Jones 0-2 0-0 0, Noah Pickard 0-0 1-2 1, Nolan Gyselman 0-3 0-0 0. Totals 22-49 10-13 63.

GLACIER — Nolan Hyde 1-3 0-0 2, Will Salonen 1-6 1-2 4, Noah Dowler 2-5 2-2 6, Connor Sullivan 5-10 3-3 16, Ty Olsen 1-6 1-3 3, Tyler McDonald 2-5 2-2 7, Kyson Wagner 0-3 2-8 2, Xavier Stout 0-0 2-4 2, Cohen Kastelitz 0-1 0-0 2, Jake Turner 0-0 0-0 0, Kaid Buls 0-1 0-0 0, Travys Agan 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 12-40 13-24 42.

3-point goals — Gallatin 9-21 (Hunter 6-9, National 1-4, Dahlke 2-5), Glacier 5-13 (Sullivan 3-7, McDonald 1-1, Salonen 1-3, Buls 0-1, Olsen 0-1). Rebounds — Gallatin 29 (Gyselman 7), Glacier 31 (Salonen 6). Fouls — Gallatin 16, Glacier 12. Blocks — Gallatin 4 (Gyselman 2, T.Nansel, Clark), Glacier 1 (Salonen). Steals — Gallatin 9 (Hunter 7), Glacier 6 (Salonen 2). Turnovers — Gallatin 7, Glacier 16.

Big Sky 80, Butte 55 (loser out)

Shane Shepherd’s 20 points led the way for the Eagles, who used a 26-point second quarter to built a 44-23 halftime lead.

Caden Bateman added 14 points and 13 boards for Big Sky. Cameron Gurnsey led Butte with 17 points.

Semifinals

Capital 53, Skyview 50 OT

Brayden Koch’s 3-pointer from the wing at the buzzer broke a 50-50 tie and sent the Capital Bruins to the title game, where they’ll face the Hawks.

Koch had 24 points, and was set up to take the last shot in regulation but was forced to pass off to Jacob Curry, he left a contested three way short.

The points came tough at the end: The Bruins’ Hayden Opitz tied the game at 48-48 with a bucket with 2:13 left in regulation, and the score stayed there until the buzzer.

Opitz had 8 points and six rebounds. Lance Love had 16 points and Payton Sanders 13 for the Falcons.

Bozeman 50, Senior 47

Bryson Zanto hit a 3-pointer with 2:01 left to put Bozeman up 51-50, and Ty Huse added two free throws with 21 seconds left for the final margin.

Zanto’s three gave him six points; Huse ended with 20, including three 3-pointers. He also grabbed seven rebounds.

Trent Rogers added 12 points and Jackson Basye chipped in 11 to go with seven rebounds.

Ty Huse hits both ends with :21 left.

Senior’s Melo Pine had 13 points; no one else had more than six for the Broncs.