Wolfpack, Braves look to break through at Western AA
Glacier and Flathead head into Thursday’s Western AA boys basketball divisional in Butte with revenge on the mind.
Both squads enter their first round matchups with an 0-2 record against their opponents this season.
Glacier, the No. 4 seed, fell 51-49 to No. 5 seed Helena Capital at home on Jan. 5 — after missing a pair of late free throws — and 59-47 on Feb. 17 in Helena.
“They are a quality team, well-coached and don't hurt themselves,” Glacier head coach Mark Harkins said. “We need to control turnovers, play well as a team on both sides of the ball.”
The Wolfpack need to weather a balanced scoring attack for the Bruins with six players averaging more than 6.7 points per game, led by Cole Dawes with 9.6 points.
Harkins will rely on his depth as he has much of the season, with 10 players seeing consistent minutes since the addition of Noah Cummings to the rotation in January. Cohen Kastelitz leads the team averaging 13 points and 10.9 rebounds, Cummings has averaged 8.4 points in his 10 games with Glacier.
“We need to stay doing what we do best,” Harkins said. “We are playing well, we need to carry the momentum that we have had these past few games.”
The Wolfpack and Bruins meet at 11 a.m. for a spot in the semifinal.
The No. 8 seed Braves enter their 9:30 a.m. matchup with top-seeded Missoula Hellgate still looking for their first win of the season.
In their previous two matchups the Knights defeated Flathead 70-49 in Kalispell on Jan. 27 and 67-49 on Feb. 22 in Missoula to end the regular season.
Head coach Dan Trageser knows that his team will need to be better defensively if the Braves want to stun the Knights Thursday.
“We need to limit them to one shot,” Trageser said. “Keep them off the offensive boards and force them into contested shots.”
The Braves held the Knights leading scorer, Easton Sant, to just eight points in the second meeting. But Flathead could not buy a basket in the first half, going 4 of 23 from the field.
“We played last Thursday as a scout game, got things on film to prepare for today,” Trageser said. “They have the ability to counter as well, so we will adjust as the game goes on.”
In the late session No. 3 seed Helena High takes on No. 6 seed Missoula Sentinel at 6:30 p.m..
The Bengals won both meetings this season behind the two-headed monster of Jaxan Lieberg and Tevin Wetzel.
The Spartans will rely on leading scorer Grady Walker to help pull the upset.
The final game of the evening features No. 2 seed Butte and No. 7 seed Missoula Big Sky at 8 p.m..
Big Sky took the first meeting at home behind a strong defensive performance holding the Bulldogs to just one point in the second quarter. Butte responded with a 72-63 overtime victory in the second meeting of the season.
Hudson Luedtke leads Butte, which has won nine of 11 games, with 14.1 ppg. Carson Towe (11.9) and Isaiah “Z” Reed (11.7) lead the Eagles.
Tournament Pairings
Western AA
Feb. 29-March 2, Butte Civic Center
(4 teams advance)
BOYS
9:30 a.m. — Missoula Hellgate (16-2) vs. Flathead (0-18)
11 a.m. — Glacier (9-9) vs. Helena Capital (6-12)
3:30 p.m. — Helena (9-9) vs. Missoula Sentinel (9-9)
5 p.m. — Butte (12-6) vs. Missoula Big Sky (8-10)
GIRLS
12:30 p.m. — Missoula Big Sky (15-3) vs. Flathead (5-13)
2 p.m. — Helena Capital (9-9) vs. Missoula Sentinel (8-10)
6:30 p.m. — Helena (13-5) vs. Butte (8-10)
8 p.m. — Missoula Hellgate (12-6) vs. Glacier (5-13)