George Ferguson
Havre Daily News sports editor
gferguson@havredailynews.com
Sunday was a good day for Class A high school basketball. Both the Class A girls and Class A boys captured the team championships at the 20th annual Hi-Line Invitational basketball tournament at the Malta High School gymnasium.
Havre High head coach Jason Wirt guided the Class A girls to an 81-67 victory over Chester/J-I head coach Dustin Gordon's Class C squad in the girls championship game.
Anaconda standout Ali Hurley paced the Class A team with a game-high 27 points in the title game. Hurley was also named the tournament's Most Valuable Player. Hurley scored 113 points over the course of the three-day event. Hardin's Devera Tolbert added 25 points in the win, and she was the tournament's top rebounder with 48 boards. Anaconda's Cara Laslovich joined Hurley on the all-tournament team along with Browning's Jenna Skunkcap.
Havre High senior Kelsey Evans was also part of Wirt's championship team. The sharp-shooting Evans captured the girls 3-point shooting contest. The Class A girls were a perfect 4-0 on the weekend.
The Class C team got 14 points from Chester/J-I star Keyla Briese in the championship game. Montana Gatorade Player of the Year and Reed Point standout Elly Bruursema added 12 points in the loss.
Briese earned all-tournament honors. The Class C squad also featured Chester/J-I's Mary DeVries and Big Sandy seniors Kacy Herron and Naomi Williams.
On the boys side, the Class A team edged the Class B all-stars 122-119 in a high-scoring affair to take home first-place honors. Glendive standout Derek Selvig scored a game-high 41 points in the win. The Class A team also featured Havre High standout Jeremy Giardina.
The Class B team got 33 points from Big Timber's David Foster in the losing effort. Harlem's Rick Haluszka added 20 points.
In the consolation game, the Class C team led by Hays-Lodge Pole freshman sensation A.J. Long Soldier fell to the Class AA all-stars 140-115, despite Long Soldier's 24 points. Long Soldier was one of the leading scorers in the tournament on his way to earning all-tournament team honors.
Great Falls High junior Bobby Howard was named the boys MVP after scoring 114 points. Howard's GFH teammate Shaun Tatarka won the 3-point shooting contest and Heart Butte's Jesse Brave Rock captured the slam dunk contest.
20th Annual HIT at Malta
Sunday
BOYS
Class A 122, Class B 119 (1st)
Class A - Cotton Real Bird 7, Derek Selvig 41, Shan Germann 19, Jeff Stedman 15, Shaughn McKeon 16, Jordan Running Wolf 16, Jeremy Giardina 3.
Class B - Layne Glaus 17, David Foster 33, Lance Vescovi 18, Rick Haluszka 20, Jordan Ratliff 4, David Kimm 7, Gus McDonald 10, Brad Fahrenbruck 2, Curtis Darrah 6.
Class AA 140, Class C 115 (3rd)
Class AA - Bobby Howard 27, Shaun Tatarka 12, Andy Garland 25, Kyle Burgman 21, Jeff Edwards 14, Jesse Hildreth 21, Jamison McBride 9, Kevin McKittrick 11.
Class C - Kale Eike 10, A.J. Long Soldier 24, Adam Weisz 25, Shade Stiles 6, Troy Ruff 16, Jason Tanascu 21, Lance Brockie 12.
ALL-TOURNAMENT TEAM
Bobby Howard, Great Falls High (MVP); Shaun Tatarka, Great Falls High (Mr. Hustle); Andy Garland, Missoula Sentinel; David Kimm, Three Forks; Lance Vescovi, Roundup; Shaughn McKeon, Butte Central; Jeff Stedman, Sidney; Derek Selvig, Glendive; Jason Tanascu, Gardiner; A.J. Long Soldier, Hays-Lodge Pole; Kale Eike, Melstone; David Foster
AWARD WINNERS
Points: Bobby Howard 114; Rebounds: Derek Selvig 61; Assists: Kyle Burgman (Butte High) 19; 3-point contest: Shaun Tatarka; Slam dunk contest: Jesse Brave Rock (Heart Butte)
GIRLS
Class A 81, Class C 67 (1st)
Class A - Devera Tolbert 25, Ali Hurley 27, Carla Laslovich 8, Jenna Skunkcap 3, Tahni Edmo 5, Kelsey Evans 2, Breann Ackerman 11.
Class C - Kendall Theriault 5, Ashley Grammens 2, Elly Bruursema 12, Keyla Briese 14, Kendra Stepler 2, Mary DeVries 6, Kacy Herron 8, Dani Henderson 8, Naomi Williams 8.
Class B 86, Class AA 78 (3rd)
Class B - Kayla Ryan 12, McKenzie Foster 14, Jessica Overstreet 12, Kelly Pankratz 19, Laramie Schwenke 15, Cortany Oates 9, Katie Lowney 5.
Class AA - Kelsey Hopkins 19, Kassie Holmlund 9, Kristen Tilleman 4, Jenni Guertin 8, Leslie Saunders 6, Mary Anderson 7, Sam Schermele 21, Kezia Ford 4.
ALL-TOURNAMENT TEAM
Ali Hurley, Anaconda (MVP); Carla Laslovich, Anaconda (Ms. Hustle); Kirsten Tilleman, Bozeman; Cali Buck, Choteau; Jessica Overstreet, Three Forks; Laramie Schwenke, Malta; Sam Scheremele, Great Falls High; Keyla Briese, Chester/J-I; Jenna Skunkcap, Browning; Dani Henderson, Reed Point; Elly Bruursema, Reed Point; Devera Tolbert, Hardin
AWARD WINNERS
Points: Ali Hurley 113; Rebounds: Devera Tolbert 48; Assists: Jenna Skunkcap 48; 3-point contest: Kelsey Evans (Havre)
Saturday
Boys
B 105, C 99
B - Lance Vescovi 24, David Foster 18, Layne Glaus 13.
C - A.J. Long Soldier 31, Kale Eike 26, Jesse Brave Rock 19.
A 109, B 102
A - Shane Germann 16, Jeff Stedman 16, Jeremy Giardina 16.
B - David Kimm 35, David Foster 18, Lance Vescovi 12.
AA 113, C 105
AA - Bobby Howard 45, Shawn Tatarka 20, Jeff Edwards 13.
C - Kale Eike 33, Jason Tanascu 23, A.J Long Soldier 16.
B 123, AA 104
B - Layne Glaus 23, Lance Vescovi 28, Curtis Darrah 15.
AA - Bobby Howard 23, Andy Garland 23, Kevin McKittrick 13.
Girls
A 87, B 80
A - Ali Hurley 28, Devera Tolbert 15, Tahni Edmo 14.
B - Kalyla Ryan 15, Laramie Schwenke 14, Kali Buck 12, Jessica Overstreet 12, Cortany Oates 12.
C 76, B 71
C - Elly Bruursema 16, Mary DeVries, Kendall Theriault 11.
B - Kelly Pankratz 20, Jessica Overstreet 16, Kali Buck 15.
C 90, AA 76
C - Keyla Briese 34, Elly Bruursema 17, Dani Henderson 14.
AA - Kelsey Hopkins 20, Sam Schermele 18, Jenni Guertin 14.
AA 105, B 68
AA - Kelsey Hopkins 24, Kassie Holmland 21, Jenni Guertin 13, Leslie Sanders 13, Sam Schermele 13.
B - Kali Buck 21, Cortany Oates 18, Jessica Overstreet 10.
Friday
Boys
A 109, AA 88
A - Jordan Running Wolf 14, Shanghn McKeon 17, Kevin Boyer 14.
AA - Bobby Howard 19, Shaun Tatarka 14, Andy Garland 26.
Girls
A 84, AA 83 OT
A - Ali Hurley 22, Tahni Edmo 16, Devera Tolbert 15.
AA - Kelsey Hopkins 21, Sam Schremle 15, Leslie Sanders 12, Mary Anderson 12.
C 76, B 71
C - Elly Bruursema 16, Mary DeVries 12, Kendall Theriault 11.
B - Kelly Pankratz 20, Jessica Overstreet 16, Kali Buck 15.
