By Tiffany L. Rehbein
Blue Pony basketball might have ended for the boys and girls at Havre High School already this year, but to be successful, the season never ends.
Ricky Brown, Nate Baltrusch and Landen Grant, seniors at Havre, have been invited to play in the 11th annual Radisson Senior Classic, which starts today at Billings Senior High School.
This tournament features the top 180 senior basketball players in the state. College coaches from the surrounding five-state area and Canada will be on hand to watch the event.
Each team is guaranteed at least three games. The championship session will include a 3-point contest and a slam dunk contest.
Brown led the Central A all season in scoring and 3-point goals made.
He was also an All-State selection and was named to the first team at the divisional tournament.
Baltrusch led the Ponies all season in assists. He was named to the second team at divisional and honorable mention all-conference.
Grant led the Ponies in rebounding, averaging 8.1 per game. Grant was named second team all-conference and second team at the divisional tournament.
The Blue Ponies were the No. 2 seed from the Central A entering the state tournament. They lost out in Friday afternoon action.
Players from Butte, Dillon, Whitehall, and Absarokee will join the Havre athletes on the team. Their game will begin at 7 p.m.
Jared Miller and Justin Antonich of KG will be playing on the North C team, and Troy Omsberg and Kalled Jaha of Chinook will be playing on the North B team.
Charlie Robinson, head coach of the KG KouGars, has been selected as the head coach of the North C team. They will also play at 7 p.m.
The North B team will face the South AA squad at 8:30 p.m.
Alyssa Matter and Nikki Baltrusch, juniors at Havre, have been selected to play at the USA Junior Nationals All-State Basketball Competition on Sunday, March 19.
This is one of the top amateur competitions in the United States. It is designed to give outstanding basketball players the opportunity to perform in a three-game competition where the athletes will have top competition, coaching, and possible scholarship opportunities.
The athletes performance will be evaluated for a position on one of three USA Junior National teams.
The games will be held at Montana Tech in Butte.
