Standing Rock, Morsette each throw in 16 points to lead Stars over KG
By Jason Shoot
After finishing second behind KG in the final
regular-season standings, Rocky Boy decided Saturday it had
finally had enough of this second fiddle stuff.
Demonstrating incredible composure and solid execution,
Rocky Boy simply overwhelmed KG 71-65 to claim the 9C
district tournament title at the Havre High gym.
The loss forced KG into a challenge game against Blue Sky
tonight at Havre High at 7 p.m. to determine the 9C's second
seed at the Northern Divisional tournament in Lewistown
March 1-3.
Marcus Standing Rock and Mike Morsette each scored 16
points to lead Rocky Boy, which had five players score in
double figures.
"My kids played really well," Rocky Boy coach Bob Small
said. "The kids have worked hard the past couple weeks, and
they showed a lot of heart."
The Stars maintained a five-point lead until KG's Casey
Crites made his fifth 3-pointer of the game to close the
KouGars' deficit to two 64-62 with 59 seconds remaining
in the contest.
Lenno Henderson made the first attempt of a 1-and-1
opportunity from the foul line to extend the lead back to
three, but missed the second shot.
He stole the rebound away from a KG player, however, and
Standing Rock made two free throws to make the score 67-62
with 49 seconds left.
The Stars then coolly made four free throws down the
stretch to seal the win.
The title game began with both teams trading bucket after
bucket, but KG began playing catch-up after Rocky Boy's
Dustin Sunchild's layin gave the Stars an 18-14 lead at the
end of the first period.
KG opened the second quarter on a 9-2 run to take a 23-20
lead with 5:35 remaining in the period. The lead didn't last
long, however, and both teams finished the first half tied
at 34-34.
The two teams again traded baskets to begin the third
period, but Mike Morsette's layin gave the Stars a 38-36
lead with five minutes left in the quarter.
Rocky Boy, which led 48-43 entering the final period, would
never trail again.
Henderson finished with 15 points, Sunchild added 14 and
Ryan Young had 10 for the Stars.
Joey Stuart led KG in scoring with 17 points, but he
struggled mightily from the floor. The KG standout made just
5 of 19 shots from the field, including a 2-for-11 effort
from the three-point arc.
"We were trying to shut down Stuart," Henderson said. "Our
players stepped up."
Also for KG, T.J. IronBear scored 16 points on 7-for-7
shooting, and Crites finished with 15 points all of which
came on 3-pointers.
"We gave it the best shot we could," KG coach Charlie
Robinson said. "We've got to regroup and come back Monday
ready to play. We gave Rocky Boy a very good game, but we
didn't shoot as well as we needed to."
BLUE SKY 53, BIG SANDY 47 (consolation final) The Eagles
left little doubt who was in control of this game, racing
away to a 16-8 lead by the end of the first quarter.
Big Sandy charged back behind the effort of Gage Brumwell,
eventually closing within 28-24 early in the second half on
a three-point play by Daniel Weaver.
But Blue Sky responded with a 9-0 run over the next 4 1/2
minutes to take a 37-24 advantage and build a comfortable
lead.
A 9-0 by Big Sandy helped the Pioneers close within 42-38
with five minutes left in the game, but they scored just
three points over the next four minutes as Blue Sky pulled
away.
Mike Hutchinson led Blue Sky with 14 points.
Brumwell finished with 16
