Bravettes end State AA with 3 wins, trophy

BILLINGS — Mix one strong senior with four tough juniors and a super sophomore, and you might just land a state trophy.

The Flathead Bravettes headed out of Billings with one Saturday, claiming third place at the State AA girls basketball tournament with a 53-44 consolation win over Missoula Sentinel.

To get there the Bravettes had to battle past Billings West 53-50 Saturday morning; then they had to recharge for a team that beat them in their last meeting during the regular season.

Sophomore Kennedy Moore totaled 38 points and 20 rebounds on the day; Flathead ended up 19-6, and with their first trophy since taking third in 2007.

“We couldn't have ended the season on a better note,” said second-year coach Sam Tudor, after his club rallied from a first-round loss to Billings Senior. “Leadership took over. We’re pretty young, but their mentality showed, their grit showed. I was very happy that the season could end on that note. They deserved it.”

Flathead 53, Sentinel 44

Moore scored 17 points, including a basket that started a 15-0 surge that bridged the third and fourth quarters at First Interstate Arena. Sentinel, which led 31-24, found itself down 39-31 with 7:00 left in the game.

Just as critical was Avery Chouinard, who hit two 3-pointers in the third quarter. She added another midway though the fourth for a 42-38 lead.

“That was big, because Sentinel was packing it in,” Tudor said. “We know what Avery can do. She’s one of those shooters that if she hits the first one, you better get on her.”

After Emily McElmurry — another excellent sophomore — hit a three for the Spartans, Akilah Kubi knocked down a jumper for Flathead. That started a 7-0 run that made it 49-41 with just 1:10 left. Kubi and Maddy Moy each hit two free throws, and Clare Converse hit another.

Sentinel was done.

Converse, the lone senior, had seven points and five rebounds in her final game.

“It’s not often you get to coach a kid like Clare,” Tudor said. “It was so awesome to have her season that way.”

Moy added 11 points. Chouinard had nine. Moore led Flathead on the boards with 11.

“I didn’t know what was left on the tank after playing West this morning. In pre-game they were kind of glazed over,” Tudor said. “Once the ball started going through the hoop, they started playing.”

McElmurry had 15 to lead Sentinel (13-13).

Consolation

Flathead 7 15 14 17 - 53

Sentinel 7 19 5 13 - 44

FLATHEAD — Maddy Moy 4-12 2-2 11, Akilah Kubi 2-4 0-2 4, Kennedy Moore 5-8 5-10 17, Clare Converse 1-6 4-6 7, Avery Chouinard 3-6 0-1 9, Ivy Gannon 2-3 1-2 5, Olivia Pate 0-1 0-0 0, Celie Vandenbosch 0-0 0-0 0, Harlie Roth 0-0 0-0 0,

MISSOULA SENTINEL — Olivia Huntsinger 3-11 2-2 9, Brooke Stayner 2-8 2-4 7, Kody Fraser 2-5 1-1 5, Emily McElmurry 3-6 6-6 15, Haley Wolsky 0-0 0-0 0, Megan Hamiton 0-2 0-0 0, Hannah Hart 0-1 0-0 0, Kaitlyn Hammett 0-0 0-0 0, Kassidy Kirgan 1-2 0-0 3, Lilly Allen 0-1 0-0 0. Totals 13-40 11-13 44.

3-point goals — Flathead 7-15 (Chouinard 3-4, Moore 2-4, Converse 1-3, Moy 1-4), Sentinel 7-16 (McElmurry 3-5, Huntsinger 1-1, Size 1-2, Kirgan 1-2, Stayner 1-5, Hamilton 0-1). Rebounds — Flathead 29 (Moore 11), Sentinel 26 (Huntsinger 8). Fouls — Flathead 12, Sentinel 15. Blocks — Flathead 4 (Moore 3, Moy), Sentinel 0. Steals — Flathead 6 (Chouinard 3), Sentinel 7 (McElmurry 2). Turnovers — Flathead 13, Sentinel 14.

Flathead 53, Billings West 50

Moore scored 21 points, including a reverse layup with 1:30 left that put Flathead ahead for good, and the Bravettes held on at Skyview High School.

Moore rebounded a missed 12-footer by Kubi, seemed hemmed in by Golden Bears and then went under the hoop and flipped the ball in.

“It was left-handed too,” Tudor said. “The official was looking to me, thinking I’d call time out because she was in such a bad position. I told him, ‘I think we’re OK here.’ She had such a good tournament. It was just fun to watch.”

Moy added 13 points for the Bravettes, who trailed 44-39 to enter the fourth quarter and 48-44 after Taylee Chirrick hit a three for Billings West with 5:12 left.

Moy got the comeback started with a 3-pointer; then she tracked down a back-court pass by West for an easy two, and Flathead led 49-48 with 4:00 remaining.

The Golden Bears (20-4) went back ahead and Moy missed a three, but Flathead kept possession on a rebounding foul. Then came Moore’s put-back. The Bravettes had to survive four offensive rebounds and two missed free throw attempts by West from there.

Moore and Kubi hit single free throws with 27 and 5 seconds left and the Bravettes were on their way. They took more wins this season than in the previous four seasons combined (18).

“It’s just kind of humbling to realize what this meant to the Flathead family,” Tudor said. “We had parents, and the band. It was just a great experience.

“I had parents of other teams come up and say they liked how our girls played. That meant a lot to me.”

West 16 10 18 6 - 50

Flathead 17 7 15 14 - 53

BILLINGS WEST — Taylee Chirrick 6 3-3 18, Sydney Pierce 2 0-0 4, Kourtney Grossman 3 2-2 8, Bella Murphy 1 3-7 5, Layla Baumann 1 5-8 8, Ryan Dolan 0 0-0 0, Megan Voegele 2 0-0 5. Totals 16 13-20 50.

FLATHEAD — Maddy Moy 6 0-0 13, Akilah Kubi 4 1-2 9, Kennedy Moore 7 4-6 21, Clare Converse 2 1-1 5, Avery Chouinard 0 0-0 0, Ivy Gannon 2 1-3 5. Totals 21 7-12 53.

3-point goals — West 5 (Chirrick 3, Voegele, Baumann), Flathead 14. Fouls — West 14, Flathead 14. Fouled out — none.

Billings Skyview 54, Hellgate 44

Breanna Williams scored 25 points to lead Skyview to its first State AA girls title; the school opened its doors in 1987.

Brooke Barry added 15 for the Falcons, who shot 58 percent (15-for-26) against a Hellgate squad that had held its opponents to under 30 percent this season.

Williams also had seven rebounds to lead Skyview to a 27-16 advantage on the boards.

Bailee Sayler had 18 points for the Knights, who never led and lost in the title game for the second straight season. She hit two 3-pointers.

Hellgate had the ball trailing 47-44, but came up empty, and the Falcons closed it out with seven free throws in the final 43 seconds.

Lauren Dick added 10 points for senior-laden Hellgate, while 6-foot-5 junior Alex Covill was held to six points. She had five blocks and three rebounds.