Bison hold off Braves boys, 72-67

GREAT FALLS — Scott Klinker scored 22 points to lead four Great Falls players in double figures Friday, and the Bison held off Flathead 72-67 in their boys basketball opener.

The Bison hit 27 of 39 free throws, including 6 of 10 in the fourth quarter while Flathead cut severely into a 60-45 deficit. Lyric Ersland scored 13 of his 17 points in the final eight minutes, and he and Brodee Zahn each hit threes in a comeback that fell five points short.

Jordan Griffin came off the bench to score 14 points for Flathead. Korbin Eaton went 10-for-10 on free throws — hitting four in that fourth quarter — for 13 points for the Braves.

Flathead    8    21    16    22    -    67

Great Falls    15    23    22    12    -    72

FLATHEAD — Lyric Ersland 7 1-2 17, Brody Thornsberry 1 2-2 4, Korbin Eaton 1 10-10 13, Dustyn Franchini-White 0 2-2 2, Brodee Zahn 2 0-0 5, Jordan Griffin 5 3-6 14, Stephen Riley 0 0-0 0, Gabe Sims 2 1-2 5, Gabe St. German 1 2-2 4, Tyler Williams 0 0-0 0. Totals 20 22-28 67.

GREAT FALLS — Trayson Ehnes 5 4-10 15, Scott Klinker 5 11-14 22, Tristan Watson 1 2-2 4, Cooper Collins 4 3-5 12, Mason Krajl 5 0-0 10, Emmitt Richmond 1 2-2 4, Keenan Seltzer 0 3-4 3, Blake Carver 0 2-2 2. Totals 21 27-39 72.

3-point goals — Flathead 5 (Ersland 2, Zahn, Eaton, Griffin), GFH 3 (Ehens, Klinker, Collins). Fouls — Flathead 26, GFH 23. Fouled out — Franchini-White.