By George Ferguson/Havre Daily News Sports/gferguson@havredailynews.com
As we approach the final week of the regular season in boys basketball across the Hi-Line, let's take a look back at this past weekend as area teams continued to jockey for position in postseason tournaments.
Action is really heating up in District 9C action, where this past weekend the Rocky Boy Stars clinched the 9C regular season championship, while Box Elder, Hays-Lodge Pole and KG are all still vying for the remaining top spots in the conference.
In Harlem Thursday night, the Stars earned a 52-47 win over the Class B Harlem Wildcats. The normally hig-scoring Stars used a stifling defense in the fourth quarter to come back from a late two-point deficit to get the win.
Rocky Boy jumped out to an 18-8 first quarter lead before the Wildcats stormed back to tie the game at 25-25 at halftime. Harlem then grabbed a two-point lead heading into the fourth quarter, but a 17-8 run by Rocky Boy put the game away.
James Burns paced the Stars with 13 points, while Charles Walking Child and Jesse Colliflower added 11 points each. Harlem got 11 points from Neeko Bigby and nine from Lance Ironchild in the loss.
Friday night saw the Chinook Sugarbeeters come up short in their bid to upset Glasgow on the road. The Scotties clung to a 25-23 halftime lead, but then outscored the Beeters 35-29 the rest of the way to earn the close nonconference win.
Adam Hayes and Luke Whitney paved the way offensively for the Beeters, scoring 15 and 11 points, respectively. Brady Smith scored a game-high 20 points for the Scotties and Nate Barstad added 17 points.
In Rocky Boy, the Rocky Boy Stars cemented the District 9C regular season championship with a 85-70 win over the youthful Big Sandy Pioneers.
The Stars found themselves in a dogfight with the upstart Pioneers for the first three quarters. However in the fourth quarter, Rocky Boy cranked up the full-court pressure and Big Sandy plagued itself with costly turnovers and missed shots. The Stars outscored the Pioneers 34-20 in the fourth quarter to put the game away.
Jesse Colliflower led Rocky Boy with 22 points, while Charles Walking Child and Nate Rock scored 21 and 20 points, respectively. A.J. The Boy chipped in with 13 for the Stars.
Big Sandy got 24 points from Justin Willis, 13 from Chris LaBuda and 12 points each from Devin Genereux and Lawrence Jappe in the loss.
Meanwhile, the Hays-Lodge Pole Thunderbirds are still in the hunt for a second-place finish in the 9C standings after surviving a 77-73 thriller in Turner. Both teams put up an offensive explosion Friday night with the T-Birds leading 43-35 at halftime. Hays then pushed that lead up to 11 points by the end of the third period. Turner rallied in the fourth quarter and the T-Birds had to hang on in the game's final minutes to pick up the important 9C win.
Lance Brockie led the T-Birds with 15 points and 13 rebounds and William Granados added 10. The Tornadoes got a game-high 24 points from Dalton Cornell as well as 19 points from Colin Jones in the loss.
In Chester, the KG KouGars were dealt a crushing blow when they were blown out by the host Coyotes, 62-30. KG's offense went into hibernation and the streaking Coyotes made them pay, by racing out to a 31-14 halftime lead. Chester cruised home from there, outscoring the struggling KouGars 31-16 in the second half.
Casey Buffington and Kevin May paced a balanced Chester lineup with 12 points each. Patrick Wicks also reached double figures with 10 points. Shane Rice and Cody Donoven led KG with seven points each.
In District 2B action Saturday night, the Harlem Wildcats dropped their second straight home game, this time falling to Wolf Point, 54-48. The game was close throughout with the Wolves holding on to a one-point lead in the fourth quarter. But a late 8-0 run did the Wildcats in as the lost by six points.
Jed Blocks poured in a game-high 24 points, including four 3-pointers to lead Wolf Point. Harlem got 11 points from Eddie Moore and nine from Monty Snow.
In 9C action Saturday night, the KG KouGars bounced back from their dismal performance in Chester by upending Turner 64-34.
The win gave long-time head coach Charlie Robinson his 500th boys basketball win.
KG exploded for 39 points in the first half, including 23 in the opening period. KG's defense also showed up big as it held Turner to just five points in the first quarter and then held the Tornadoes scoreless in the third period.
Cody Donoven scored a game-high 21 points to lead KG. Drew Kapperud and Shane Rice added 18 and 15 points, respectively. Emory Hedegaard paced the Tornadoes with 11 points and Colin Jones chipped in with 10 points.
In interconference action, the Box Elder Bears grabbed a 65-61 upset win over the Sunburst Refiners in Box Elder. The Bears held off a furious Sunburst rally in the fourth quarter to earn the critical victory.
Tyler Henry led four Bears in double figures with 15 points. Dustin Bacon scored 14 points, while Aaron Henry and Steve Arca added 12 points a piece. The Refiners were led by Shane Somerville's game-high 24 points. Nate Aschim added 14 in the losing effort.
One night after destroying KG, the Chester Coyotes knocked off their second straight 9C opponent, this time defeating Big Sandy, 59-51. Chester led just 19-18 at halftime, but widened that margin in the third period and the Pioneers could never get all the way back into the game.
Patrick Wicks scored 15 points to pace the Coyotes in the win. Isaac VanDyke and Zach Ramberg added 13 and 11 points, respectively. The Pioneers got 13 points from Devin Genereux and 11 points from Chris LaBuda.
In Valier, the host Valier Panthers added to the Blue Sky/J-I Eagles struggles this season by thrashing the Eagles 63-38. The Eagles trailed by 10 points at halftime but then managed just a pair of field goals in the third quarter as the Panthers pulled away for good.
Alex Frey paced the Eagles with 14 points and Craig Miller added eight points. The Panthers were led by Robby Stokes with 17 points and Ryan Nelson with 13.
Thursday
Rocky Boy 52, Harlem 45
Rocky Boy 18 7 10 17 - 52
Harlem 8 17 12 8 - 45
Rocky Boy - Charles Walking Child 11, Jesse Colliflower 11, Joe Small 4, A.J. The Boy 8, Nate Rock 5, James Burns 13. Totals - 21 7-10.
Harlem - Craig Adams 2, Neeko Bigby 11, Wilbur Bigby 2, Walter Crantz 4, Rick Haluszka 6, Lance Ironchild 9, Eddie Moore 6, Monty Snow 5. Totals - 18 6-10.
Total fouls - RB 12, Harlem 15. Fouled out - none. Three point goals - Walking Child, Colliflower, Rock, N. Bigby 2, Ironchild.
Friday
Glasgow 60, Chinook 52
Chinook 9 14 8 21 - 52
Glasgow 13 12 13 22 - 60
Chinook - Chad Beck 4, Marty Birky 6, Max Hofeldt 3, Adam Hayes 15, Taylor Tollefson 2, Tad Darrah 2, Dallas Miller 7, Luke Whitney 10, Jordon Lybeck 3. Totals - 19-2 8-14
Glasgow - Seth Combs 7, Jesse McIntyre 4, Jake Engstrom 4, Michael Southern 8, Brady Smith 20, Nate Barstad 17. Totals - 25-0 6-13
Total fouls - Chinook 18, Glasgow 17. Fouled out - Combs. 3-point goals - Whitney 2.
Chester 62, KG 30
KG 6 8 4 12 - 30
Chester 14 17 17 14 - 62
KG - Stephen Ramsbacher 4, Shawn Hanson 2, Branden Melby 4, Drew Kapperud 6, Shane Rice 7, Cody Donoven 7. Totals - 11 6-12.
Chester - Derek Fraser 5, Isaac VanDyke 4, Casey Buffington 12, Kevin May 12, Callan McKinley 2, Zach Ramberg 8, Shay Richter 2, Patrick Wicks 10, Brice Fenger 3, Stetson Brown 5. Totals - 22 14-26.
Total fouls - KG 21, Chester 15. Fouled out - Kapperud, Donoven. Three point goals - Kapperud, Donoven, May, Brown.
Rocky Boy 85, Big Sandy 70
Big Sandy 16 19 15 20 - 70
Rocky Boy 16 23 12 34 - 85
Big Sandy - Devin Genereux 12, Justin Willis 24, John Sheehy 3, Kyle Danreuther 6, Chris LaBuda 13, Lawrence Jappe 12. Totals - 24-2 16-19
Rocky Boy - Charles Walking Child 21, Jesse Colliflower 22, A.J. The Boy 13, Nate Rock 20, James Burns 9. Totals - 33-4 7-9
Total fouls - Big Sandy 8, Rocky Boy 13. Fouled out - Jappe. 3-point goals - Willis, LaBuda, Colliflower, The Boy, Rock, Burns.
Hays-Lodge Pole 77, Turner 73
Hays-Lodge Pole 22 21 21 13 - 77
Turner 19 16 17 21 - 73
Hays-Lodge Pole - Steven Shambo 2, Kelly Healy 3, Robyn Doney 8, Delaine Ariwite 9, Dwight Flansburg 7, Clayburn Grant 4, Cody McCabe 2, William Granados 10, Lance Brockie 15, Mike Werk 9, JoJo Black Elk 8. Totals 33 9-18.
Turner - Dalton Cornell 24, Colin Jones 19, Emory Hedegaard 10, Logan Fouts 9, Chad Jones 10, Wade Hofer 1. Totals 29 12-21.
Total Fouls - H-L 24, Turner 19. Fouled out - Cornell, Ch. Jones. Technicals - Grant. 3-point goals - Healey, Werk, Cornell, Ch. Jones 2.
Saturday
Wolf Point 54, Harlem 48
Wolf Point 13 13 12 15 - 54
Harlem 13 9 15 11 - 48
Wolf Point - Jed Blocks 24, Bret Bates 4, Lee Loendorf 5, Brandon Solheim 9, Brock Copenhaber 9, Jolie Olson 3. Totals 18 13-24.
Harlem - Craig Adams 8, Neeko Bigby 5, Bruce Bird 2, Rick Haluszka 6, Lance Ironchild 7, Eddie Moore 11, Monty Snow 9. Total 17 9-14.
Total Fouls - Wolf Point 14, Harlem 23. Fouled out - Ironchild, Moore. Three point goals - Blocks 4, Copenhaber, Adams 2, Bigby, Ironchild, Snow.
KG 64, Turner 34
Turner 5 13 0 16 - 34
KG 23 16 13 12 - 64
Turner - Chad Jones 2, Ryan Haugen 3, Emory Hedegaard 11, Dalton Cornell 6, Kale Baldik 2, Colin Jones 10. Totals - 11-3 3-6
KG - Stephen Ramsbacher 6, Zack Rambo 2, Branden Melby 2, Drew Kapperud 18, Shane Rice 15, Cody Donoven 21. Totals - 24-3 7-11.
Total fouls - Turner 12, KG 12. Fouled out - none. 3-point goals - Haugen, Hedegaard, Jones, Kapperud 2, Donoven.
Box Elder 65, Sunburst 61
Sunburst 14 11 13 23 - 61
Box Elder 9 18 17 21 - 65
Sunburst - Nate Aschim 14, Chris McFadden 6, Matt Tomsheck 11, Shane Somerville 24, Jake Roark 2, Stanton Schulze 4. Totals - 21 14-25.
Box Elder - Steve Arca 12, Tyler Henry 15, Dustin Bacon 14, Aaron Henry 12, Lane LaMere 6, Jason Hawk 6,. Totals - 27 8-11.
Total fouls - Sunburst 14, Box Elder 18. Fouled out - A. Henry. 3-point goals - T. Henry, A. Henry 2, Aschim, Somerville.
Valier 63, Blue Sky/J-I 38
Blue Sky/J-I 6 19 6 11 - 38
Valier 14 21 13 15 - 63
Blue Sky/J-I - Conrad Wendland 2, Alex Chvilicek 2, Darius Wendland 7, Dane Kantorowitz 1, Craig Miller 8, Alex Frey 14, Brad Peterson 4. Totals - 13 11-23.
Valier - Kyle Jannusch 10, Vern Kuka 4, Robby Stokes 17, Chris Wright 3, Quin Loendorf 1, Evan DeBoo 4, D.J. Salois 11, Ryne Nelson 13. Totals - 23 17-25.
Total fouls - BS/J-I 20, Valier 19. Fouled out - none. Three point goals - D. Wendland.
Chester 59, Big Sandy 51
Big Sandy 9 9 13 20 - 51
Chester 13 6 20 20 - 59
Big Sandy - Devin Genereux 13, Justin Willis 4, Kyle Danreuther 9, Lawrence Jappe 6, Karl Osterman 2, Jon Sheehy 2, Darin Ray 4, Chris LaBuda 11. Totals - 21 2-6.
Chester - Isaac VanDyke 13, Casey Buffington 8, Kevin May 8, Zach Ramberg 11, Patrick Wicks 15, Brice Fenger 4. Totals - 22 14-17.
Total fouls - Big Sandy 18, Chester 15. Fouled out - Willis, Danreuther. Technicals - Danreuther, Buffington. 3-point goals - Genereux, LaBuda 3, Ramberg.
