Bache powers Butte to Western AA win
BUTTE — Dylan Bache scored 28 points to lead four Butte players in double figures, and the hometown Bulldogs advanced to the semifinals of the Western AA boys basketball divisional with a 65-56 win over Missoula Big Sky Thursday.
Hudson Luedtke and Torre Tempel added 11 points each for the Bulldogs, who take a 13-6 record into the 5 p.m. semifinal against Missoula Sentinel, at the Butte Civic Center. Sentinel (10-9) surged past Helena 62-52 earlier Thursday.
Big Sky and Helena will play a loser-out game at 11 a.m.
Butte 65, Big Sky 56
Bache was a beast, hauling down 15 rebounds to go with a 10 of 12 shooting performance from the floor. Add in another 10 points from Bo Demarais and the Bulldogs had too much for the Eagles (8-11).
Isaiah Reed and Carson Towe had 16 points each to lead Big Sky. Towe hit four 3-pointers. Avery Omilid added seven points and six rebounds for the Eagles.
Sentinel 62, Helena 52
Riley Allen scored 14 of his 24 points after halftime as the Spartans erased a 29-24 deficit.
Kade Robinson also had a big second half for Sentinel, scoring 13 of his 17 points in the final 16 minutes.
Walker hit 3 of 7 3-point attempts and grabbed seven boards. Robison was 7 for 8 from the floor.
Tevin Wetzel had 20 points and Jaxan Lieberg added 10, but the duo combined ot hit 2 of 12 3-pointers.
Madden Spaulden chipped in 11 points and seven boards off the bench for the Bengals.
Western AA
Feb. 29-March 2, Butte Civic Center
(4 teams advance)
BOYS
Thursday
Missoula Hellgate 65, Flathead 31
Helena Capital 53, Glacier 44
Missoula Sentinel 62, Helena 52
Butte 65, Missoula Big Sky 56
Friday
Game 5 — Flathead (0-19) vs. Glacier (9-10), 9:30 a.m. loser out
Game 6 — Helena (9-10) vs. Missoula Big Sky (8-11), 11 a.m. lo
Game 7 — Missoula Hellgate (17-2) vs. Helena Capital (7-12), 3:30 p.m., semifinal
Game 8 — Butte (13-6) vs. Missoula Sentinel (10-9), 5 p.m., sf
Saturday
Game 9 — Loser 7 vs. Winner 6, Butte High School, 11 a.m., winner to state
Game 10 — Winner 5 vs. Loser 8, 11 a.m., winner to state
(No consolation game)
Game 11 — Semifinal winners, 3 p.m., first