Wolfpack boys comeback falls short against Big Sky
Glacier fought to the horn, but it wasn’t enough as Missoula Big Sky pulled off a 32-26 victory Tuesday in boys basketball at the Wolf Den.
Big Sky’s Isaiah Reed led all scorers with 11 points, as baskets came at a premium. Aidan Towe added eight more for the Eagles (5-2 overall, 1-2 in Western AA games).
“It was a rock fight,” Glacier coach Evan Epperly said. “It was a good defensive battle. Credit to Big Sky, they are a good defensive team. They made things hard for us offensively.
“We’re still working on execution pieces on offense. We’ve got to make more shots and turn the ball over less, but I think it was two good defensive teams that battled it out tonight.”
Liam Ells and Dylan Banzet tallied eight points apiece to lead the Wolfpack (1-5, 0-3).
Early on Big Sky used a pair of 3-pointers — one from Reed and another from Tyson Tims — to take a 10-4 advantage after the first frame. Reed’s triple started a 9-0 run that spanned from the first quarter to midway through the second.
Banzet broke the run getting into the paint for a basket — just Glacier’s second of the half — to make it 14-6 Eagles. Big Sky took a 19-7 lead into the break.
Out of the half, Reed extended the Eagles lead to 21-7, their biggest of the evening. Banzet finally got the Wolfpack on the board midway through the quarter.
Liam Ells brought the Wolfpack within 11 just before the horn to end the third quarter off a steal from Luke Nikunen, making it 27-16.
Glacier capitalized on the momentum, as Ells and Asher Knopik opened the fourth with baskets to cut the deficit to 27-21.
Cole Silbertstein slowed the momentum with a turnaround jumper from the foul line for the Eagles.
Later in the quarter, Dylan Banzet seized some momentum back towards Glacier with a block, leading to a Ben Winters finish on the other end. Winters only basket of the game.
Big Sky’s defense sealed the game from that point on, as Glacier only found one more basket in the final three minutes. Reed knocked down a pair of late free throws to cap off the six-point victory.
“I think we just have to keep making strides offensively,” Epperly said. “We have done that despite tonight, and we just have to keep chipping away at it. We are going to stay positive and stay together and just try to improve. It’s a long season and there’s a lot of basketball left.”
Glacier is back on their home court Friday against Butte with the girls scheduled to start at 6 p.m. with the boys following.
Missoula Big Sky 10 9 8 5 - 32
Glacier 4 3 9 10 - 26
BIG SKY — Isaiah Reed 3 4-6 11, Avery Omlid 0 0-2 0, Brady Williams 1 0-0 2, Mason Fulford 0 0-0 0, Tyson Tims 2 0-0 5, Eli Kasberg 1 0-0 2, Cole Silbertstein 1 0-0 2, Boone 1 0-0 2, Colter Jensen 1 0-0 2, Aidan Towe 3 2-4 8. Totals 12 6-12 32.
GLACIER — Cooper Pelc 1 0-0 2, Liam Ells 3 1-2 8, Ethan Kastelitz 0 1-2 1, Easton Kaufman 0 0-0 0, Asher Knopik 2 1-2 5, Luke Nikunen 0 0-0 0, Carter Knopik 0 0-0 0, Slate Burrington 0 0-0 0, Dylan Banzet 3 2-2 8, Ben Winters 1 0-0 2. Totals 10 5-8 26.
3-point goals — Big Sky 2 (Reed, Tims), Glacier 1 (Ells). Fouls — Big Sky 7, Glacier 10. Fouled out — none.