State AA girls: Bravettes use early lead to beat Bozeman
BUTTE — After the Flathead Bravettes put the finishes on a 48-37 win over Bozeman, they didn’t look all that happy.
Then their cheering section let them hear it, and some smiles went up.
A 20-7 lead held up in an uneven game at the Civic Center; Flathead (18-4) advanced to Friday’s late semifinal against Billings Skyview (14-10), which happens to be the defending State AA champion.
Similar to Flathead’s game, Skyview held off Missoula Big Sky with a late fourth-quarter surge; Big Sky (11-13) and Bozeman (5-18) have a loser-out game at 1:30 p.m.
Flathead 48, Bozeman 37
The Bravettes couldn’t have looked much better while surging away from a 7-5 lead to go up 20-7 on Tali Miller’s putback early in the second quarter.
Then they managed just one more field goal in that period, and scuffled along in the third until a three from Bozeman’s Clara Fox cut their lead to 27-24.
From there until Maddy Moy’s basket off a feed from Celie VandenBosch, Flathead outscored the Hawks 13-4. That made it 40-24 with 4:20 left, and the Bravettes more or less coasted in from there.
Akilah Kubi had two baskets in the pivotal burst, one of them coming off a dish from Moy that made it 33-24. Avery Chouinard hit her fourth 3-pointer in there as well.
“I was really happy with Avery’s game,” Flathead coach Sam Tudor said. “When things got panicky, she didn’t panic. She had a smooth demeanor about her. Avery controlled the tempo of the game every time Bozeman made a run.
“And it was awesome to see Maddy Moy get us started (putting Flathead up 4-0) tonight. Her feed to Akilah was big time.”
Kennedy Moore, who had 14 points and six boards, scored with 3:45 left to put the Bravettes up 42-30, their biggest lead since that early run out.
Chouinard had 12 points; Kubi had four points and five rebounds. Miller had nine boards.
Avery Burkart had 12 points and 14 rebounds for the Hawks.
“Tomorrow is big,” Tudor said. “We know Skyview is athletic and talented, but I believe in these girls. After this season, how can you not?”
Flathead 18 4 11 15 - 48
Bozeman 7 7 11 12 - 37
FLATHEAD — Maddy Moy 3-8 0-0 6, Kennedy Moore 5-19 4-6 14, Akilah Kubi 4-10 1-2 9, Tali Miller 2-3 0-0 4, Avery Chouinard 4-8 0-0 12, Celie VandenBosch 0-0 0-0 0, Harlie Roth 0-0 1-2 0, Sami Dalager 1-2 0-0 2. Totals 19-50 6-11 48.
BOZEMAN — Tyra Opperoman 1-2 1-1 3, Megan Schell 0-2 0-0 0, Avery Burkart 6-14 0-0 12, Taily Black 3-15 0-0 8, Clara Fox 2-5 0-0 6, Lucy Willing 0-2 1-2 1, Ava Epler 2-4 1-2 5, Sarayah Jones 1-1 0-0 2. Totals 15-45 3-5 37.
3-point goals — Flathead 4-12 (Chouinard 4-8), Bozeman 4-11 (Fox 2-2, Black 2-7). Rebounds — Flathead 34 (Miller 9), Bozeman 26 (Burkart 14). Fouls — Flathead 7, Bozeman 10. Blocks — Flathead (3 with 1), Bozeman 3 (Burkhart 2). Steals — Flathead 9 (Moore 3), Bozeman 8 (Blacke3). Turnovers — Flathead 12, Bozreman 17.
Skyview 44, Big Sky 37
Williams, the Gatorade Player of the Year, had 15 points and 12 rebounds for the Falcons.
With Skyview holding a slim 33-32 lead, Alexis Brewer and Williams hit back-to-back 3-pointers to push the gap to 39-32 with 3:55 left in the game; Williams hit two free throws with 3:08 remaining to make it 41-32.
That basically did in the Eagles, though Kaydynce Couture scored twice late to finish with 19 points. She eventually fouled out.
Avory DeCoite added eight points, 11 rebounds and five steals for Big Sky.
Hellgate 64, Gallatin 52
Chloe Larson had a huge game, netting 23 points to go with 10 rebounds. Meanwhile Alex Covill had 21 points, six rebounds and seven blocked shots.
Alex Mund added 10 for the Knights, who made a 33-24 halftime lead stand up.
Emma Hardman’s 18 points led the Raptors. Novelle McQuiston added 13 points and seven rebounds for Gallatin, and Jada Davis had 11.
Billings West 52, Sentinel 26
Up 23-10 at halftime the Golden Girls poured in 22 points in the third quarter.