Glacier boys' rally falls short against Capital

Kyler Meredith converted a layup with 25 seconds left and Helena Capital held on to beat comeback-minded Glacier 51-49 Friday in a Western AA boys basketball game at the Wolf Den.

Merek Mihelish scored 14 points to lead the previously winless Bruins (1-4 overall, 1-0 in league), who led 31-23 at halftime.

Behind two fourth-quarter 3-pointers from Easton Kauffman — he scored all of his eight points in the frame — they rallied. His bomb at the 1:52 ark cut the gap to 49-46; after Liam Ells blocked a Bruin shot, Kauffman hit another with 48 seconds left to knot the game at 49-all.

The Wolfpack (1-4, 0-1 in league) had a couple chances to force overtime, but first a layup attempt was blocked out of bounds with 7.5 seconds left; then Cohen Kastelitz missed the first of two free throws with under a second remaining.

Kastelitz scored a game-high 15 points. Ells knocked down a three in the fourth quarter as well.

The Pack faced Helena High Saturday on their home floor.

Capital    17    14    8    12    -    51

Glacier    12    11    11    15    -    49

HELENA CAPITAL — Merek Mihelish 5 1-3 14, Kyler Meredith 4 0-0 9, Conor Toivonen 4 4-4 13, Dylan Almquist 2 1-2 5, Gabe Fischer 1 0- 2, Cole Dawes 3 1-1 7, Brenton Belzer 0 1-2 1, Daniel Larsen 0 0-2 0. Totals 19 8-14 51.

GLACIER — Cohen Kastelitz 7 1-6, 15, Liam Ells 2 1-1 6, Brantly Salmonsen 2 0-0 4, Jackson Endresen 4 0-0 9, Luke Nikunen 0 0-0 0, Owen Henry 2 1-2 6, Easton Kauffman 3 0-0 8, Josh Eagleton 1 1-2 1, Slate Burrington 0 0-2 0, Gabe Christianson 0 0-0 0. Totals 20 4-13 49.

3-point goals — Capital 5 (Mihelish 3, Meredeith, Toivonen), Glacier 5 (Kauffman 2, Henry, Ells, Endresen) Fouls — Capital 14, Glacier 14. Fouled out — Toivonen.