George Ferguson
Havre Daily News sports editor
gferguson@havredailynews.com
It is tough to win on the road in high school basketball anytime. But for the Havre High boys basketball team, winnng in the CMR Fieldhouse has been downright impossible.
Impossible until Thursday night.
HHS senior Jared Weigel poured in a game-high 25 points and grabbed an even more important 16 rebounds as Havre crushed the CMR Rustlers, 64-46, in Great Falls.
The win over CMR in Great Falls was the first for an HHS boys basketball team since the 1990-91 season.
While Weigel's performance was no less than spectacular, Havre's cause was aided by the fact that the Ponies stood up to the Rustlers' physical style of basketball. The Ponies threw that type of play right back at CMR, and for the first time in ages, Havre managed to outrebound a CMR team, 34-31.
Havre broke open a close game in the second half behind the play of Weigel and Jeremy Giardina. The Ponies clung to a 30-28 halftime lead thanks to a Giardina fadeaway jumper at the buzzer.
As close as the first half was, the Ponies quickly took command of the game early in the third period. Giardina and Jeremiah Moog nailed 3-pointers to start the half, igniting a 17-9 run that put the Ponies out in front, 47-37, heading into the final stanza. Weigel capped the run off with a long 3-pointer as the third-quarter buzzer sounded.
Weigel's trey seemed to put any CMR hope of a comeback on ice. The Ponies ripped off another 17-9 run in the final eight minutes to secure the victory.
For the game, Weigel went 7-14 from the field, including four 3-pointers. Giardina chipped in with 14 points, and senior Tanner Veis had his most productive game in an HHS uniform, adding a solid 13 points.
The Rustlers, who shot a dismal 18-for-50 from the floor, were paced Adam Goodman's 11 points. Havre held CMR to a 1-for-8 night from beyond the arc.
Thursday night's victory pushed Havre's overall record to 4-2 heading into the holiday break. CMR fell to 1-4 overall.
The Ponies will return to action on Jan. 5 when they welcome the same CMR Rustlers to the HHS gymnasium in Havre.
Ponies 64, Rustlers 46
Havre 19 11 17 17 - 64
CMR 10 18 9 9 - 46
Havre-Jeremy Giardina 4-7 5-7 14, Jared Weigel 7-14 7-10 25, Logan Grant 1-2 0-0 3, Tanner Veis 5-8 3-4 13, Mike Barton 2-4 1-2 5, Jeremiah Moog 1-4 0-0 2, Scott Miller 0-1 0-0 0, Michael Sharp 1-2 0-0 2. Totals: 21-42 16-24.
C.M. Russell-Andrew Nunez 1-4 0-0 2, Steve Wasson 2-4 2-5 6, David Anderson 2-6 1-2 5, Brad Goodman 4-10 3-3 11, Kelvin Steele 3-8 1-4 7, Zach Agamenoni 0-0 0-0 0, Alex Smith 0-1 0-0 0, Nick Richards 0-4 0-0 0, Kevin Hatley 0-0 0-0 0, Tanner Bleskin 2-7 1-2 6, Jasen Remus 4-6 1-3 9. Totals: 18-50 9-19.
Total fouls: Havre 17, CMR 18. Fouled out: Goodman, Barton. Three-point goals: Havre 6-11 (Giardina 1-2, Weigel 4-6, Grant 1-1, Moog 0-1, Miller 0-1), CMR 1-8 (Smith 0-1, Wasson 0-1, Richards 0-2, Anderson 0-1, Bleskin 1-2, Steele 0-1). Rebounds: Havre 34 (Weigel 16), CMR 31 (Goodman 7). Assists: Havre 14 (Weigel 4, Vies 4), CMR 8. Steals: Havre 6 (Veis 3), CMR 8 (Nunez 3). Turnovers: Havre 13, CMR 16.
