Braves go cold in loss to Bozeman

Bozeman put on a 3-point barrage and Flathead couldn’t take the lid off the basket as the Hawks pulled away for a 48-32 victory in AA boys basketball Saturday afternoon at Flathead High School.

Jack Oberly scored a game-high 14 points for the Hawks (1-3) and Will Benne added 11, both hit three triples. Rex Drake added 12, all in the fourth quarter including a pair of three balls. 

Ben Reichner led the Braves (1-3) with 11 points. 

“Bozeman came out super physical and got us out of our rhythm a little bit,” Braves coach Dan Trageser said. “We did not shoot the ball well tonight, probably about as cold as this gym was today.” 

The Braves were behind the eight-ball from the start as Bozeman opened on a 13-0 run, capped off by a 3-pointer plus a foul from Oberly. 

After a five-minute scoreless start to the game, Flathead battled back late in the first with a 9-3 run sparked by Boston Case getting to the basket for a lay-in followed by a triple from Reichner. 

The Braves again went cold, not scoring for the first five minutes of the second quarter as Bozeman grew the lead to 20-9. 

The Hawks took a 28-16 lead into the half thanks to John Benne’s three as the buzzer sounded. 

Neither team found the hoop much in the third as the Hawks outscored Flathead 5-3 in the frame. 

“We came out of halftime and said ‘we have to guard, we have to limit threes,’ “ Trageser said. “I thought our kids did a good job of turning them over and putting us in a position to make a run, we just couldn’t finish on the offensive end of the floor.” 

Drake took over in the fourth, as he scored the Hawks first 12 points of the quarter, including a triple that gave Bozeman its largest lead of the day, 41-24. 

Reichner knocked down his second three of the game to cut the deficit to 43-31, but the Braves could get no closer. 

The Braves now head on to winter break, they will be back on the court Jan. 9 at 7:30 p.m., hosting Butte. 

Bozeman    16    12    5    15    -    48 

Flathead    9    7    3    13    -    32

BOZEMAN — Evan Hughen 1 1-2 3, John Benne 1 0-0 3, Braxton Black 1 0-0 2, Freddy Friedman 1 0-0 3, Jackson Langford 0 0-0 0, Will Benne 3 2-2 11, Jack Oberly 5 1-1 14, Rex Drake 5 0-0 12, Macrae Engler 0 0-0 0. Totals 17 4-5 48. 

FLATHEAD — Sam McConnell 0 0-0 0, Eli Coopman 0 0-0 0, Ollie Rosenberg 2 0-0 4, Ben Reichner 3 3-4 11, Lance Schneller 1 1-2 3, Reece Brotherton 1 2-3 4, Boston Case 2 2-2 6, Max Shostak 0 0-0 0, Kyler Kossman 1 2-4 4. Totals 10 10-15 32. 

3-point goals — Bozeman 10 (W Benne 3, Oberly 3, Drake 2, J Benne, Friedman), Flathead 2 (Reichner 2). Fouls — Bozeman 18, Flathead 13. Fouled out — Black. Technical fouls — Coopman.