State B boys: Mustangs burst out the gates to beat Vikings
GREAT FALLS — Malta pushed the pace early and often to take a 47-41 win over Bigfork in a State B semifinal Saturday afternoon.
Bodhi Brenden made three 3-pointers and finished with a game-high 17 points for the Mustangs.
Malta jumped out to a 30-17 halftime lead after hitting three straight 3-pointers to start the second quarter.
The Vikings would respond with an 18-8 run after the break to cut the Malta lead to 38-35 but a Brenden mid-range jumper at the 5:55 mark of the fourth quarter stopped the bleeding and made things 40-35 in favor of the Mustangs. That score would hold until the 3:02 mark when freshman Dawson Hammond stepped to the charity stripe for a pair of free throws. Hammond made the first and grabbed his own rebound after missing the second.
After another Malta miss Hammond once again snared an offensive board but this time he drilled a mid-range jumper to make things 43-37 in favor of the Mustangs. Hammond found Eli Hanson on the following play for an easy layup to make it 45-37 with 1:25 to play.
Isak Epperly made a pair of baskets in the final minute to keep the Vikings in the hunt but Brenden knocked down a pair of free throws with 25 seconds left to send Malta to the state title game.
Epperly finished with 16 points while hauling in 10 rebounds to finish with a double-double.
Bigfork 7 10 13 11 — 41
Malta 17 13 8 9 — 47
BIGFORK — Isak Epperly 16, Dylan Porrovecchio 9, Jack Jensen 6, Eli Thorness 4, Landon Byerman 4, Bryce Gilliard 2.
MALTA — Bohdi Brenden 17, Treyton Wilke 12, Stockton Oxarart 7, Eli Hanson 6, Dawson Hammond 3, Jared Eggebrecht 2.
Columbus 68, Lodge Grass 47
GREAT FALLS — The Columbus Cougars took a 23-11 edge into the second quarter and never looked back as they beat the Lodge Grass Indians Friday morning.
The Cougars leading scorer Mason Meier had a double-double with 19 points and 12 rebounds while Hayden Steffenson was right there with 18 of his own to pace the Columbus offense. Silas Howe finished with a game-high 20 points for the Indians
Columbus found an advantage at the free throw line by outscoring Lodge Grass 21-5 at the charity stripe.
Red Lodge 75, Lame Deer 58
GREAT FALLS — Red Lodge bounced back after a loss to Bigfork Friday night by rushing out to an 18-5 first quarter lead over Lame Deer en route to a victory in the loser out game. Red Lodge got 16 points from Walter Boos who also hauled in seven boards. Other contributors for Red Lodge were Quade Boggio who tallied 12 points and Thomas Buchanan who finished with a game-high 14 rebounds. Frank Flying was the top scorer for Lame Deer with 12 points. Kendall Russell also chipped in nine points and 13 rebounds in the losing effort for the Morning Stars.