Daniel Horton Havre Daily News gferguson@havredailynews.com
Although it's nice to have a winning a record through the regular season, what basketball teams are really looking to do is to improve with every practice and game leading up to the post season. But fortunately for the Central A leading Havre High girls basketball team, the Blue Ponies were able to accomplish both. They are sitting at 13-5 overall and 9-1 in conference, and have really settled into a groove just in time for the Central A divisional tournament which begins Thursday in Belgrade. With the Ponies conference leading record, they were able to lock down a first round bye. The Ponies play their first game on Friday at 1 p.m. against the winner of Thursday's Browning Indians and Butte Central Maroons matchup. “In either case, we feel we will have a plan in place.” Havre High head coach Dustin Kraske said. “I think that Butte Central has a better chance of being our opponent, but Browning scares me too. We respect both teams a lot.” The Only downfall of having the first round bye is not knowing exactly who you play. But in the Ponies case, it isn’t really a problem. They have been playing very well as of late, and feel confident against any opponent they may face this weekend in Belgrade. And that’s how HHS geared their preparation. Instead of focusing on one just one team, the Ponies have worked on fine-tuning their game as a whole. “I am confident with any team that we play this weekend.” Kraske said. “I think that right now we are playing our best basketball and that’s big time. I feel real good about the things that we are doing.” The Ponies can’t put all of their focus into one team, but they are still very well aware of whom to look out for. The Maroons Brooke Pokorny is an outstanding guard who is averaging 11. 5 points per game. And down low for the Maroons are the dangerous Lexie Murphy and Quinn Peoples. Murphy is averaging 10.3 points per game, while Peoples is third in the conference and leading the team with 13.2. And on the Indians squad, the Ponies have to watch out for Shanae Gilham who is second in the league with 14. 8 points per game. Jennifer Stone is also a threat towards the Ponies with 10. 6 points per game, giving her the ninth spot in overall Central A scoring. The Ponies are going to have their hands full with other teams and players, but they are concerned more with what they are doing themselves. To be successful, the Ponies are going to have to execute the fundamentals. This means limiting teams shots by dominating the boards, staying out of foul trouble, defending and getting a hand up, setting screens, passing, reading the defense and playing aggressive. “The simple things.” Kraske said. “Regardless of who we play in the tournament we are going to have to do these things well. So these are the things we are focusing on and looking to be successful at.” A year ago, the Ponies took second at divisionals behind the Rangers, and went on to take fourth at state. This year the Ponies are hoping to improve on last year's performances, and they have put themselves in the right spot to do so. Since the beginning of the season the Ponies have continued to improve. They were able to overcome an 0-2 start to their season, including an early loss to the Belgrade Panthers to go 13-3 the remainder of the season. Now they are at the top of the Central A, in prime position to play well and advance to state. “I feel absolutely thrilled with how our season has gone.” Kraske said. “We have played some real good basketball and we have played some that wasn’t that great. But we have had the opportunity to reflect on the week prior and make adjustments and strive to do things better. Now it's time to continue to play how we have been playing and play well the next week and the next weekend after that.” If the Ponies can enter the weekend playing at the same level they ended their regular season with they should be headed towards a Central A championship. They are averaging just less than 50 points per game, and leading them was Cassi Darrah with 12.7 per game, fifth best in the conference. And Hope Hedges is giving the Ponies 9.4 points per game while Hayley Donovan and Karly Evans are both adding over seven a piece. Sarah Blessum is averaging close to seven points per game, but has also dropped 22 3-point shots on the year, giving the Ponies an outside threat. Holding the No. 1 spot in the conference makes the Ponies a favorite to win the division, but it isn’t going to be as cut and dry as that. The Panthers (12-5, 7-2), Maroons (10-8, 6-4), Rangers (13-5, 6-4), Indians (6-11, 2-8) and Lewistown Golden Eagles (0-18, 0-10) all have a shot at one of the top two spots in the division. The regular season records mean nothing at this point, and whoever shows up and plays better basketball will walk away with the win. Belgrade has the other bye, while two-time defending champion Livingston meets Lewistown Thursday at 8:30 p. m. with the winners facing the Panthers in the semifinals on Friday at 8:30 p. m. “I am looking forward to the challenge and I know our kids are as well.” Kraske said. “We need to be ready to go as soon as we step on the floor, every time we step on the floor, because it could be the last time we do.” HHS survived a handful of close games this season, and they showed just how completive the Central A is. In some of the close games, the Ponies beat the Maroons by five, the Indians by two and the Rangers by eight. “Our conference is really good.” Kraske said. “And I think sometimes state wide there isn’t the respect for the Central A that there should be. I think that we have to be in the conversation as possible favorites, but Belgrade, Butte and Livingston can all be considered favorites also.” The Central A tournament takes place Thursday-Saturday at the Belgrade Special Events Center. And with their first round bye, the Ponies first game gets underway on Friday at 1 p. m. against the winner of Thursday's Browning Indians and Butte Central Maroons matchup. The top two teams from the Central A move on to next week's Class A state tournament in Butte. “I think that if we play our best we are going to be pleased regardless of everything else.” Kraske said. “We are looking to go down there and for it to just be a continuation of our regular season and play how we have been playing. I like our chances.”
