By Tiffany L. Rehbein
The Havre Blue Ponies did everything they needed to do for about 28 minutes.
But they couldn't hold off No. 1 ranked C.M. Russell for 32 minutes, as the Ponies were nipped 58-55 by the Rustlers in non-league action Friday at Havre.
"I really thought that we had good intensity," Havre head coach Dennis Murphy said. "The kids were very focused on what they had to do to play against a team like CMR."
Havre outscored CMR 18-8 in the third quarter, including scoring the last 11 points of the quarter en route to a 38-32 lead entering the final quarter.
"We gave ourselves a chance to be in the game in the end," Murphy said. "Unfortunately for us, we were not able to hold them off."
Key 3-pointers by Tyler Graham and Landon Danelson late in the game swayed momentum for CMR, who improved to 13-3 on the year. Both notched two in the final stanza.
Havre's Nate Baltrusch and Ricky Brown tallied two treys apiece in the game. Baltrusch led the Ponies with 14 points, while Brown chipped in 10 in the game.
Senior Landen Grant was strong on the boards again for Havre and added 13 points in the game. Scott Rice scored nine points, and played Danelson tough defensively.
"He kept Danelson off-balance all night," Murphy said. Danelson finished with 16 points.
"It was a great team effort," Murphy said. "I wish we could have held on to it, but, hopefully, we learned from that. If we get ourselves in a game like that next week, hopefully we can turn some things around."
The Ponies (10-8) have won six of their last eight games, losing to Class B leader Malta and Class AA leader CMR. They had won five straight before falling to the Mustangs on the road. The Ponies will enter the Central A divisional tournament Thursday at Belgrade.
"I look at these games as 18 practice games to get ready for the tournament," Murphy said. "I would trade all of those wins during the season for some wins at tournament."
CMR
12
12
8
26
58
Havre
11
9
18
17
55
CMR Justin Hartman 2 6-6 10; Tyler Graham 3 0-0 8; Ryan Seltzer 0 0-0 0; Landon Danelson 7 0-2 16; Mike Murphy 1 2-3 4; Mitch Hatzenbeller 1 4-4 6; Brad Johnson 0 0-0 0; Jason Goodman 3 2-2 8; Mike Schmidt 3 0-0 6; Zach Danelson 0 0-0 0. Totals: 20 14-17.
Havre Chris Young 0 1-2 1; Nate Baltrusch 3 6-9 14; Ricky Brown 3 2-4 10; Scott Rice 3 2-6 9; Landon Grant 6 0-0 13; Nick Crawford 0 0-0 0; Jessie Suek 0 2-2 2; Cliff Cooper 3 0-0 6. Totals: 18 13-23.
Total fouls CMR 19, Havre 18. Fouled out Rice. Three-pointers: Graham 2; L. Danelson 2; Baltrusch 2; Brown 2; Rice, Grant.
