Big Sky girls upend Sentinel for third
The script got flipped on Missoula Sentinel’s girls Saturday: They started out with a rally, then lost to the comeback-minded Missoua Big Sky Eagles 43-39 in the Western AA third-place game.
Both the Eagles (13-9) and Spartans (10-12) are headed to the State AA tournament next week in Butte — that was assured when they won their morning games.
Sentinel got past Helena 55-51, and Big Sky bounced Butte 43-37.
Big Sky 43, Sentinel 39
The Spartans looked to have things in hand at halftime, up 28-13. Then they committed a bunch of fouls and missed 19 of their last 23 shots from the floor.
The Eagles caught up early in the fourth quarter, 31-31, on Kyler Latriell’s basket. Then Kaydynce Couture hit a big three with 2:10 left, putting the Eagles up 40-37.
Couture had 21 points for the second straight game. Avory DeCoite added 10 for Big Sky.
Olivia Huntsinger’s 10 points led Sentinel.
Big Sky 4 11 14 14 - 43
Sentinel 13 15 3 8 - 39
MISSOULA BIG SKY — Kaydynce Couture 6-8 7-9 21, Sadie Mcguinn 1-5 0-2 2, Gianna Janacaro 1-6 0-0 2, Avory DeCoite 2-9 6-7 10, Audrey Hale 2-2 1-2 5, Maddie Jones 0-1 0-0 0, Dakota Belarde 0-0 0-0 0, Kyler Latrielle 1-3 1-3 3, Delaney Laird 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 13-34 15-23 43.
MISSOULA SENTINEL — Kassidy Kiergan 2-7 0-2 10, Kaitlyn Hammett 0-4 0-0 0, Olivia Huntsinger 3-8 3-4 10, CC Size 3-11 1-2 7, Emily McElmurry 3-7 2-6 9, Haley Wolsky 0-2 0-0 0, Monroe Mastro 1-6 2-4 5, Lilly Allen 1-5 2-2 4. Totals 13-50 10-20 39.
3-point goals — Big Sky 2-8 (Couture 2-2), Sentinel 3-24 (Huntsinger 1-2, McElmurry 1-4, Mastro 1-5). Rebounds — Big Sky 24 (Janacaro 8), Sentinel 34 (Kirgan 10). Fouls — Big Sky 18, Sentinel 22. Fouled out — McElmurry. Blocks — Big sky 2 (Janacaro, Couture), Sentinel 2 (Allen, Hammett). Steals — Big Sky 6 (2 with 2), Sentinel 5 (McElmurry 2). Turnovers — Big sky 17, Sentinel 16.
Sentinel 55, Helena 51
The Spartans closed on a 14-2 run to earn their trip to State.
Olivia Huntsinger led the Spartans with 15 points; Lilly Allen had 11 points off the bench and Emily McElmurry pitched in 10 points.
Alex Bullock’s final game was a good one for Helena: 16 points, 16 rebounds and a blocked shot.
Helena 11 13 14 13 - 51
Sentinel 17 13 7 18 - 55
HELENA — Logan Todorovich 1 1-1 3, Avery Kraft 1 4-4 6, Ashley Koenig 3 0-3 8, Alex Bullock 5 6-7 16, Lauren Heuiser 2 0-0 4, Maloree English 0 0-0 0, Madi Todorovich 3 1-2 8, Kylee Gardipee 1 4-8 6. Totals 16 16-26 51.
SENTINEL — Olivia Huntsinger 6 2-2 15, CC Size 2 0-0 6, Emily McElmurry 1 7-10 10, Kaitlyn Hammett 1 3-6 6, Kassidy Kirgan 1 1-3 4, Haley Wolsky 0 1-1 1, Monroe Mastro 0 2-2 2, Lilly Allen 4 3-4 11. Totals 15 19-28 55.
3-point goals — Helena 3 (Koenig 2, M.Todorovich), Sentinel 6 (Size 2, Huntsinger, McElmurry, Hammett, Kirgan). Rebounds — Helena 33 (Bullock 16), Sentinel 32 (McElmurry 7). Fouls — Helena 19, Sentinel 22. Fouled out — L.Todorovich, Gardipee, Huntsinger). Turnovers — Helena 16, Sentinel 19.
Big Sky 43, Butte 37
Couture had another fine game, scoring 21 points. DeCoite added 12.
Butte 17 4 4 8 - 37
Big Sky11 13 7 12 - 43
BUTTE — Cadence Graham 3 2-2 10, Dylann Bartoletti 2 0-0 6, Brityn Stewart 1 0-0 2, Laura Rosenleaf 2 3-6 7, Emmarie Richards 3 1-2 8, Brooke Groesbeck 0 2-2 2. Totals 11 8-12 37.
BIG SKY — Avory DeCoite 3 6-9 12, Kaydynce Couture 7 7-10 21, Dakota Belarde 1 0-0 2, Kyler Latrielle 2 0-0 5, Sadie McGuinn 1 0-0 2, Gianna Janacaro 0 1-2 1. Totals 14 14-21 43.
3-point goals — Butte 7 (Graham 2, Bartoletti 2, Richards), Big Sky 1 (Latrielle). Fouls — Butte 18, Big Sky 12. Fouled out — Rosenleaf.