Wolfpack trio makes 2nd-team all-Western AA; Olsen is defensive POY

Glacier's Ty Olsen (5) drives to the basket past Bozeman's Kellen Harrison (2) in the first half of the third-place game at the Class AA state basketball tournament at the Butte Civic Center on Saturday, March 11. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)

Flathead's Noah Cummings (40) looks to shoot in the second quarter guarded by Missoula Hellgate's Connor Dick (10) during the Western AA Divisional Tournament at Flathead High School on Thursday, March 2. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)

Glacier's Adam Nikunen (4) knocks down a jumper in the second half against Helena in the Western AA Divisional Tournament semifinal at Flathead High School on Friday, March 3. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)

Glacier's Noah Dowler (44) throws down a dunk in the second quarter against Flathead during crosstown basketball at Glacier High School on Friday, Jan. 20. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)

Glacier's Cohen Kastelitz (1) drives to the basket against Bozeman's Rocky Lencioni (12) in the second half of the third-place game at the Class AA state basketball tournament at the Butte Civic Center on Saturday, March 11. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)

by Daily Inter Lake
| March 22, 2023 1:17 PM

The Glacier Wolfpack closed their boys basketball season on an 11-3 run and garnered the second State AA trophy in school history thanks to defense, rebounding and 3-point shooting.

Senior Ty Olsen is among three Glacier players to receive second-team all-conference honors in postseason voting by the league’s coaches; Olsen was also named the Western AA’s defensive player of the year.

Joining Olsen on the second team are teammates Noah Dowler and Cohen Kastelitz; Adam Nikunen was honorable mention.

Flathead junior Noah Cummings was honorable mention as well.

Olsen, a senior, led Glacier in scoring at mid-season; he ended up at 8.9 points a game along with 1.6 steals while generally drawing defensive duties against the opponents’ top scorer.

Kastelitz, a junior, averaged a team-best 10.9 points and snared 7.8 rebounds a game for the 17-8 Pack, who ended up third at the State AA tournament in Butte.

Dowler, a 6-foot-7 senior and Class AA’s top rebounder, averaged 7.4 points and 8.5 rebounds; he was good for 11 rebounds a game in Glacier’s four games at state.

Nikunen averaged seven points and was among AA’s top 3-point shooters, making 42 of 106 for 40 percent. That includes a 9-for-12 stretch at the State AA tourney.

Cummings, a 6-6 junior, was second among AA scorers this past season and ended up averaging 15.9 points, including his two games at the Western AA Divisional.

Missoula Hellgate and Helena High had two first-team (and All-State) selections each: Connor Dick and Easton Sant for Hellgate; Tevin Wetzle and Jaxan Lieberg for Helena.

Dick, a 6-4 senior, is the league’s most outstanding player on offense. He averaged 15.8 points for the State AA champion Knights.

Filling out the first team were Butte High freshman Hudsen Luedtke and Missoula Big Sky senior Josiah Cuaresma.

Class AA basketball honors

BOYS

All-Western AA

First Team

Connor Dick, 6-4, sr. Hellgate

Tevin Wetzel, 6-0, so. Helena

Easton Sant, 5-11, so. Hellgate

Hudsen Luedtke, 6-1, fr. Butte

Josiah Cuaresma, 6-3, sr. Big Sky

Jaxan Lieberg, 6-3, so. Helena

Second team — Cohen Kastelitz, 6-3, sr., Glacier; Ty Olsen, 6-1, sr., Glacier; Hayden Opitz, 6-4, sr., Capital; Jace Stenson, 6-2, sr., Butte; Donovyn Headswift, 6-2, sr., Hellgate; Noah Dowler, 6-7, sr., Glacier.

Honorable mention — Noah Cummings, jr., Flathead; Nick Michelotti, sr., Capital; Cael Murgel, sr., Helena; Mario Rosemond, 6-1, sr., Hellgate; Asher Topp, sr., Hellgate; Isaiah Reed, so., Big Sky; Joey Michelotti, sr., Capital; Adam Nikunen, sr., Glacier.

Most Outstanding Player, Offense — Connor Dick, Hellgate.

Most Outstanding Player, Defense — Ty Olsen, Glacier.

Sixth Man of the Year — Chance McNulty, Hellgate.

Coach of the Year — Jeff Hays, Hellgate.

All-State

Kellen Harrison, 6-0, jr. Bozeman

Billy Carlson, 6-3, sr. Billings West

Lane Love, 6-5, sr. Skyview

Eli Hunter, 6-2, sr. Gallatin

Trigg Mapes, 6-3, sr. Great Falls CMR

Cooper Tyson, 6-3, jr. Billings West