Hellgate holds off Wolfpack girls
BUTTE — Glacier’s girls made a run at Missoula Hellgate Thursday, before a late surge carried the Knights to a 44-38 win at the Western AA girls basketball divisional.
Alex Mund, Gianna Passuccio and Chloe Larson all scored nine points to lead the Knights into Friday’s 8 p.m. semifinal against Helena. The Bengals beat Butte 42-37 earlier Thursday.
The Wolfpack, who rallied from down 29-16 to make it tense, take a 5-14 record into a 2 p.m. loser-out game against Butte.
Hellgate 44, Glacier 38
The Wolfpack came out aggressive and traded leads with the taller Knights in the first quarter; in the second Elly Reed’s free throw gave Hellgate (13-6) the lead for good, 15-14, at the 3:49 mark.
Passuccio hit a three just before halftime for a 21-16 lead; the gap grew to 29-16 when the Knights scored eight straight points to open the third quarter. Larsen began the surge with a three.
The Pack answered with an 11-2 run, closing to 31-27 on a Kenedee Moore three and two Reese Ramey free throws. Noah Fincher hit a free throw early in the fourth quarter to bring the Wolfpack to 33-30, but that’s as close as they got.
Hellgate put together another 8-0 run to go up 11 with 5:00 left.
Ramey had a game-high 12 points and six rebounds for the Pack.
Glacier 8 8 11 11 - 38
Hellgate 9 12 12 11 - 44
GLACIER — Kiera Sullivan 1-4 0-0 3, Kenedee Moore 3-8 0-0 7, Charlotte Osler 3-5 1-1 7, Noah Fincher 2-7 3-4 7, Reese Ramey 3-10 6-6 12, Jaidyn Peven 0-1 0-2 0, Julia Hagemeier 0-1 0-0 0, Karley Allen 0-7 2-2 2, Cazz Rankosky 0-1 0-0 0, Madison Terry 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 12-44 12-15 38.
MISSOULA HELLGATE — Carmen Anderson 3-8 0-0 6, Alex Mund 3-9 3-4 9, Elly Reed 1-7 2-4 4, Gianna Passuccio 3-5 2-2 9, Chloe Larsen 3-7 1-1 9, Rya Messervy 0-0 0-0 0, Lillie Lambert 0-0 0-0 0, Paisley Jhonson 0-0 0-0 0, Sophia Miller 1-1 0-0 3, Shannon Kane 1-3 2-3 4. Totals 15-40 9-14 44.
3-point goals — Glacier 2-12 (Sullivan 1-1, Moore 1-3), Hellgate 5-10 (Passuccio 2-2, Larsen 2-3, Miller 1-1). Rebounds — Glacier 28 (Ramey 6, Fincher 5, Moore 5), Hellgate 27 (Larsen 9). Fouls — Glacier 17, Hellgate 15. Fouled out — Fincher. Turnovers — Glacier 15, Hellgate 16.
Helena 42, Butte 37
The Bengals hit seven 3-pointers, built a 35-23 lead through three quarters and then held off the Lady Bulldogs.
Avery Kraft scored nine points to lead Helena; Madi Todorovich and McKenna Pipinich added eight apiece.
Cadence Graham scored a game-high 18 points for Butte.
Western AA Girls
Butte Civic Center
Thursday
Missoula Big Sky 52, Flathead 42
Helena Capital 56, Missoula Sentinel 30
Helena 42, Butte 37
Missoula Hellgate 44, Glacier 38
Friday
Game 5 — Flathead (5-14) vs. Missoula Sentinel (8-11), 12:30 p.m. lo
Game 6 — Butte (8-11) vs. Glacier (5-14), 2 p.m., lo
Game 7 — Missoula Big Sky (16-3) vs. Helena Capital (10-9), 6:30 p.m., sf
Game 8 — Helena (14-5) vs. Missoula Hellgate (13-6), 8 p.m., sf
Saturday
Game 9 — Loser 7 vs. Winner 6, 12:30 p.m., at Butte High School, winner to state
Game 10 — Loser 8 vs. Winner 5, 12:30 p.m., winner to state
(No consolation game
Game 11 — Semifinal winners, 4:30 p.m., first
Eastern AA Divisional
MSU-Billings
Thursday
GIRLS
Billings Skyview 66, Belgrade 37
Gallatin 59, Billings Senior 41
Great Falls Russell 45, Great Falls 35
Billings West 71, Bozeman 49
BOYS
Billings Skyview 50, Billings Senior 49
Billings West 59, Great Falls Russell 44
Bozeman 59, Great Falls 35
Gallatin 65, Belgrade 47