Daniel Horton Havre Daily News gferguson@havredailynews.com
This time of year fans are generally gearing up for tennis, softball or track and field events, but for the second weekend in a row basketball is stealing a share of the spotlight in Havre. On Saturday and Sunday the Montana State University-Northern Armory gymnasium will host the 23rd annual Hi-Line Invitational. And in tournament action, some of the top boys basketball prospects from Class AA, Class A, Class B and Class C will take to the floor. The Class AA and Class A get things started on Saturday at 1:30 p.m. And following will be the Class B taking on the Class C at 3:30 p.m. and a 3-point contest at 6:30 p.m. The Class B faces the Class A at 7 p.m. and wrapping up Saturday’s action is the Class AA taking on the Class C at 9 p.m. And on Sunday, the Class A will face the Class C at 9 a.m. and the Class AA will face the Class B at 11 a.m. Then at 2:30 p.m. some of the high flyers will treat the crowed to a slam-dunk contest before the consolation game at 3 p.m. and the championship game at 5 p.m. The Class AA team that coach Tom Storm of Great Falls is bringing is big and athletic. CMR 6-7 junior Josh Huestis earned All-State and first team All-Conference honors for CMR and was recently named Montana's top player as well as MVP of the AA state tournament for the champion Rustlers, and joining him down low is honorable mention 6-7 junior Jacob Owsley of Bozeman. And also adding to the Class AA squad is Kurtis Parson, a 6-6 sophomore from CMR. Coach Pat Hansen from Laurel is also presenting a talented group of basketball players this weekend on the Class A squad. Ben Nearpass and Joel Barndt helped lead Billings Central to a third-place sate finish, and now they join Jonathan Richards from Butte Central in the hopes of helping the Class A this weekend. But also adding to the pool of talent is Havre High’s own Kaden Keto. Keto earned first team All-Conference honors after averaging 10 points and 10 rebounds this season, and leading the conference in rebounds, blocked shots and steals. Mike and Shiloh Seymour of Chinook head up the coaching staff for the Class C, and their all-star lineup is as healthy as any. Blake Brumwell of Big Sandy, Eric Shildt of Rocky Boy and Michael Cloghessy of Gardiner give the Class C roster the power and size down low to match up with the Class AA. And Corbin Pearson of Big Sandy, Cole McCabe of Hays-Lodge Pole and Mike Sangrey Jr. Of Rocky Boy give them the scoring power to hit shots from any area on the floor. The rest of the Class C team is as talented and deep as any as well. But the Class B can’t be counted out either. Coach Tom Reynolds from Shelby, a former Havre High star, has a solid roster of nine athletes led by eight seniors. Derek Lear and Miles Steinbach led Fairfield to the Class B state championship this season but now they join Jake Robison of Shelby, the No. 2 finisher in state this year. Lear is headed to MSU-N to play football for the Lights. Also joining the senior leaders is Isiah Martin of Harlem, Lane Moran of Poplar, Josh Graham of Big Timber, Levi Simon of Whitehall and Josh Paulson of Cut Bank. The HIT gets started at the MSU-N Armory gymnasium on Saturday afternoon.. The Class AA faces Class A at 1:30 p. m., Then the Class B takes on the Class C at 3:30 p.m. A 3-point contest takes place at 6:30 p.m., and then Class B faces the Class A at 7 p.m. before Class AA faces Class C at 9 p.m. And on Sunday, the Class A will face the Class C at 9 a.m. and the Class AA will face the Class B at 11 a.m. Then at 2:30 p.m. the high flyers take off during the slam-dunk contest before the consolation game at 3 p.m. and the championship game at 5 p.m.
