2014-15 HHS Basketball Preview: Pony boys aim high this season

After last season's run to the Class A state tournament, there is an optimism surrounding the Havre High boys basketball that hasn't been seen in years. And after tasting the state tournament a season ago, the Blue Ponies have their sights set even higher in 2014-15.

Now that the Ponies know what it takes to get to state, their mission is go back for a second straight season. And with a number of key players returning, headlined by Dane Warp, possibly the top scoring threat in all of Class A, they have an outstanding chance to do just that. Only this time, they won't be content just to make it there, they want to come away with some hardware.

Led by Warp, a junior, who averaged a team-high 23.7 points per game last season, the Ponies bring back an experienced group of players that also includes junior Nate Rismon, senior Michael Bakke, junior Jerod Boles and senior Jase Kato. Others players that will contribute for the Ponies this season include, senior Wyatt Lindbloom, as well as sophomores Jacob LaBrie and Nate Korb.

"I think this is the most athletic team that I have had since I've been here," Havre head coach Curt Leeds said. "Dane (Warp) is a really big scoring threat and, honestly, I think we are going to have a bunch of guys that are going to be able to score quite a bit this year. Boles is a good shooter, Rismon is a really good shooter, Korb can get to the basket, LaBrie can get to the basket, Bakke is really strong and can get to the basket, and Jase has really worked on his post moves over the summer."

Yet, the Havre offense begins and ends with Warp, who was one of the most prolific scorers in the state of Montana last season. Because of that, and his seven games of 30 points or more, Warp earned Central A All-Conference and Class A All-State honors as a sophomore. However, Warp does much more than score for the Ponies. He also led them in several different categories that included rebounds with 6.8 per game, assists with three per game and steals with 2.7 per game.

"Dane is just so hard to defend because he can score in so many ways," Leeds said. "He is a good shooter, he can get to the basket, he can post up, he can beat you in transition. He just finds different ways to score and that's what makes him hard to stop."

Even though the Ponies will rely heavily on Warp to generate offense, Havre does have more weapons, particularly on the perimeter. That starts with Rismon, who made the Central A All-Conference team as an honorable mention last season. Warp, Rismon and Boles, who took over the starting point guard position late last season, will form a talented trio in the backcourt for Havre, while Kato, Bakke and Lindbloom create a strong three-man rotation in the front-court. LaBrie and Korb also give HHS a pair of athletic guards that can score off the bench, making this year's team as deep as any in recent memory.

"I think we are going to be pretty good offensively," Leeds said. "But, like with anything else, defense is the one that will win games for you. So, that is the thing we are really focusing on and what we need to fine tune. We need to get better defensively, and we need to get more aggressive defensively."

If Havre wants to be a contender for the state title this season, it will need to become a more consistent team after finishing with an 8-15 record a season ago. HHS finished 4-4 in the Central A conference, good enough for third place behind first-place Belgrade and second-place Browning.

After splitting with Browning in the regular season, the Ponies knocked the Indians off 64-61 in the Central A semifinals before losing in the championship game to Belgrade by the score of 50-41. Yet, even with the loss, the Ponies' second-place finish was good enough to get back to the state tournament for the first time since 2006.

At state, the Ponies lost to Columbia Falls 50-36 in the opening round, before knocking off Stevensville 55-49 in loser-out action. Then, HHS went up against its nemesis Belgrade, which defeated the Ponies 47-26 to end their season. The Panthers, who posted a 7-1 record in conference play, went 4-0 against HHS last season and are the favorite once again in the Central A. Browning is also expected to be a contender along with Havre for the conference's two berths in the state tournament.

Lewiston should also be much improved and brings a veteran laden team into the fold, which could make the Eagles a dark horse in the conference race. Livingston should also be competitive despite finishing in last place a season ago.

"I would say we are among the top couple of teams again this year," Leeds said. "We are really going to try and fine tune things the first two months of basketball. Really try to get better at the little things. Then, hopefully, play on Saturday night at divisionals and I think these boys will go on to play on Saturday night at state as well."

The Ponies will be tested right away with their rigourous non-conference schedule as they open the season at home this weekend against Malta and CMR.

Following back-to-back home games to open the season, the Ponies will play five straight on the road, starting with Belgrade Dec. 19 and then Livingston Dec. 20 in a pair of important early season conference match ups. After the holiday break, HHS will play at Great Falls High Jan. 2. Then, Havre will head to Malta Jan. 3, and Conrad Jan. 9. The Ponies will also have six conference games to play after the holiday break with the first coming at home against Lewistown Jan. 10.

Sandwiched between Havre's conference matchups in the second half of the season will be non-conference tilts with Rocky Boy (twice), Fairfield, CMR and Great Falls.

The Ponies will play Browning on Jan. 16 before back-to-back home games against Belgrade and Livingston Jan. 23 and Jan. 24. Havre will then close out its conference schedule with a road trip to Lewistown Feb. 7 before hosting Browning Feb. 21 in a game that could have big ramifications on the final Central A standings.

The Central A Divisional tournament will be held in Great Falls starting Feb. 26 and the Class A state tournament will begin March 12 in Bozeman.