BUTTE When competing against a team that loves to run and
gun like Browning's fourth-ranked basketball squad, it is
usually easiest to find a way to win by forcing that team
out of its favored style of play.
But last night Havre decided to turn its intensity up
several notches, racing past the Indians for a stunning
62-54 upset in the first round of the Central A basketball
tournament.
Havre, which improved to 6-13, will face Butte Central a
53-39 winner over Anaconda last night in the semifinals
tonight.
Havre's Dan Wirtzberger led all scorers with 20 points, and
Mike Frey added 15 points on 6 of 7 shooting. Titus Pedraza
had a great all-around performance for the Ponies with 12
points, 13 rebounds and four blocked shots.
The two teams entered the final quarter tied at 43-43, but
midway through the period the Ponies began to pull away.
After a Browning bucket closed Havre's lead to 48-47, the
Ponies went on a 10-3 spurt to take a 58-50 lead with less
than three minutes remaining in the game.
The Indians cut the gap to 58-54 with a minute left, but
Havre held their opponents scoreless the rest of the way to
put the game away.
Browning hurt itself with atrocious shooting from the
floor. The Indians made just 4 of 21 shots from beyond the
three-point arc and finished the game 22-for-75 (29.3
percent) from the floor.
Browning's Leo Bullchild and Alden Spoonhunter were a
combined 9-for-39 from the field.
BROWNING (54) Fisher 1-2 0-0 2, Bullchild 4-21 1-4 10,
Spoonhunter 5-18 1-1 14, Juneau 0-0 0-1 0, Hall 2-7 2-2 6,
Yellow Owl 2-6 0-1 4, Butterfly 2-5 0-0 4, McLean 1-6 0-0
2, Kipp 1-2 0-1 2, Edmo 4-8 2-4 10. Totals 22-75 6-14 54.
HAVRE (62) Wirtzberger 7-13 5-6 20, Frey 6-7 1-2 15,
Fink 4-6 0-1 9, Daniel 1-1 0-0 2, Brothers 1-4 0-2 2,
Lorang 0-0 0-0 0, Harada 0-1 0-2 0, Pedraza 3-11 6-6 12,
Vincent 1-2 0-0 2. Totals 23-45 12-19 62.
Havre
16
9
18
19
62
Browning
14
14
15
11
54
Three-point goals Browning 4-21 (Fisher 0-1, Bullchild
1-7, Spoonhunter 3-10, Hall 0-2, McLean 0-1), Havre 4-9
(Wirtzberger 1-1, Frey 2-3, Fink 11, Brothers 0-3, Pedraza
0-1). Rebounds Browning 39 (Butterfly 8, Bullchild 7),
Havre 43 (Pedraza 13, Fink 7, Harada 6). Fouls Browning
17, Havre 16. Fouled out Edmo. Assists Browning 9
(Spoonhunter 3), Havre 8 (Fink 4, Frey 3). Turnovers
Browning 10, Havre 24. Blocks Browning 3 (Edmo 2), Havre 4
(Pedraza 4). Steals Browning 11 (Hall 3, Bullchild 3,
