Bravettes' rally falls short against Hellgate

A fourth-quarter rally came up short for the Flathead Bravettes Tuesday, with Missoula Hellgate pulling away late to take a 52-45 Western AA girls basketball win at the Flathead gym.

Caitlin Converse scored 13 points and Ava Malmin added 11 for Flathead, which fell to 2-11 overall and 1-7 in Western AA games. The Bravettes were behind 29-19 at halftime and trailed 40-34 before Grace Gall sandwiched a pair of 3-pointers around a Hellgate basket. 

The latter cut the gap to 42-40 with 3:58 left, and Flathead had chances to get ahead but two possessions netted a turnover and two near misses by Converse.  

Ryan Meservy, who came off the bench to score 12 points, then hit 3-pointers at the 2:05 and 1:30 marks to put the league-leading Knights up 48-40. They were her third and fourth treys of the game.

Gianna Passuccio also had 12 points and Elly Reed added 11 for Hellgate (9-4 overall, 7-2 in league). 

The game was a makeup of a game postponed by weather on Feb. 1.

The Bravettes are home again Thursday, to start a doubleheader with Missoula Big Sky at p.m. The Flathead boys play Big Sky at 7 p.m. 

Hellgate    12    17    10    17    -    52 

Flathead    11    8    9    17    -    45 

MISSOULA HELLGATE — Paisley Johnson 3 0-0 6, Elly Reed 4 3-6 11, Lucy Hutchins 1 0-0 2, Shannon Kane 2 3-4 7, Gianna Passuccio 4 4-4 12, Ryan Meservy 4 0-0 12, Savannah Shepherd 0 2-2 2, Cady Schneider 0 2-2 2. Totals 18 12-16 52. 

FLATHEAD — Grace Gall 2 2-2 8, Mattie Thompson 3 0-2 6, Sami Dalager 2 3-4 7, Caitlin Converse 5 1-2 13, Ava Malmin 4 1-2 11, Taylor Greene 0 0-0 0. Totals 16 7-12 45. 

3-point goals — Sentinel 4 (Mesery 4), Flathead 6 (Converse 2, Malmin 2, Gall 2. Fouls — Sentinel 13, Flathead 14.