Physical Hawks beat Glacier boys

Brantly Salmonsen scored nine points but the Glacier Wolfpack turned the ball over 20 times and lost their home opener 49-32 against Bozeman in boys basketball.

Owen Henry added six points on two 3-pointers for the Wolfpack, who trailed 41-32 with just over three minutes remaining.

“Bozeman is really a good team, they are very physical, and they have some great players,” Glacier coach Mark Harkins said. “I thought defensively I was proud of our effort, offensively we turned the basketball over too much.”

Bozeman senior Kellen Harrison got the Hawks off to a hot start, scoring 10 points in the first quarter as Bozeman led 14-6.

Early in the second quarter neither team could get the offense going. Slate Burrington would start to turn the momentum in Glacier’s direction after a big block while trailing 18-11, but Chapman Wiehardt ended that quickly with a three on the other end and Bozeman took a 23-13 lead into the half.

Out of the break both teams traded baskets as the Bozeman lead stayed at 10, 34-24, after three quarters.

Bozeman again came out hot in the fourth quarter scoring the first seven and taking their largest lead of the game 41-24. Glacier wasn’t throwing in the towel though, as Henry knocked down two 3-pointers in an 8-0 run for the Wolfpack to cut the deficit down to nine.

That would be as close as Glacier would get as Bozeman finished the game out on an 8-0 run of their own.

“It's tough to prepare to play that kind of physicality,” said Harkins. “You aren't going to be able to emulate a team like Bozeman (in practice).”

The Wolfpack are back on the court on Saturday when they host the Gallatin Raptors at 2 p.m..

Bozeman    14    9    11    15    -    49

Glacier        6    7    11    8    -    32

BOZEMAN — Kellen Harrison 7 3-3 18, Kash Embry 3 0-0 6, Joey Starner 0 1-2 1, Rocky Lencioni 1 4-6 7, Chapman Wiehardt 3 4-8 12, Quaid Ash 0 1-2 1, Torin Jeske 1 2-4 4 Totals 15 15-25 49.

GLACIER — Cohen Kastelitz 1 0-2 2, Liam Ellis 1 0-0 2, Luke Nikunen 1 0-0 3, Owen Henry 2 0-0 6, Brantly Salmonsen 3 3-4 9, Joshua Eagleton 1 0-0 2, Slate Burrington 1 1-2 3, Jackson Endresen 2 1-2 5 Totals 12 5-10 32

3-point goals — Bozeman 4 (Wiehardt 2, Harrison, Lencioni) Glacier 3 (Henry 2, Nikunen). Fouls — Bozeman 16, Glacier 18. Fouled out — none. Technical fouls — none.

    Glacier's Liam Ells (2) drives to the basket in the first quarter at Glacier High School on Friday, Dec. 15. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
 Casey Kreider   

    Glacier's Cohen Kastelitz (1) drives to the basket against Bozeman's Kash Embry (3) in the first quarter at Glacier High School on Friday, Dec. 15. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
 Casey Kreider   

    Glacier's Jackson Endresen (23) squares up to shoot in the first quarter against Bozeman at Glacier High School on Friday, Dec. 15. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
 Casey Kreider