State B girls: Gunlock has double-double, Vals seal ticket to state title game

GREAT FALLS — It was the Braeden Gunlock show Saturday night at the class B state semifinal with Gunlock notching a double-double in the first half on her way to a 33-point, 17-rebound performance and most importantly for the Vals star, a trip to the state title game with a 56-47 win over Huntley Project.

The Vals’ undefeated season was in jeopardy for stretches of the game with Huntley Project refusing to give up and pulling within five points with 1:15 to play after a Paige Lofing stepback jumper found the bottom of the net to make things 50-45.

The Vals would respond with clutch free throws shooting down the stretch starting with Paeten Gunlock shaking off a 0-5 night shooting from the field by knocking down a pair from the charity stripe with 55 seconds to play. After that Braeden Gunlock capped off her big night with a pair of free throws of her own to make it 54-47 with :45 seconds left in the ball game.

Ava Davey made her presence felt for the Vals on defense by hauling in seven steals while chipping in 11 points with most of her work coming on the fast break.

Lofing finished with 10-30 from the field on her way to 28 points for Huntley Project while attacking the basket with confidence and hitting a mix of tough shots against a lockdown Vals defense.

Saturday night at 8:30 p.m Bigfork will take the court with the state title on the line vs. the winner of the Malta and Sweet Grass County semifinal game.

Huntley Project 11 11 15 10 — 47

Bigfork 14 16 10 16 — 56

HUNTLEY PROJECT — Paige Lofing 28, Maddison Akins 9, Teagan LaRoche 6, Ivy Grimsrud 2, Shyanna Harman 2,

BIGFORK — Braeden Gunlock 33, Ava Davey 11, Scout Nadeau 7, Madison Chappuis 3, Paeten Gunlock 2.