HHS boys home for two

Ever since the end of last season’s Class A state boys basketball tournament, the Havre Blue Ponies have been itching for the start of the 2014-15 season. Well, after nine months of waiting and 18 practices, the time has finally come.

Havre, which expects to compete for the state championship this season, will find out right away if it can live up to expectations with back-to-back home games against Malta and CMR. The first of the two games will come tonight as the Ponies host Malta. Game time is scheduled for 7:30 at the HHS gymnasium.

“We had those 18 practices again before our first game, so I think we are ready to get out there and get after it,” HHS head coach Curt Leeds said. “I think everybody is ready to get out there in a game atmosphere with fans and a little more excitement than in practice. I don’t really think it matters who you are playing, I think every team is just ready to get out there and play.”

Much like Havre, Malta is also coming off a highly successful season that saw the Mustangs finish third in the Class B state tournament. Yet, unlike the Ponies, who return a good chunk of their starting lineup and leading scorer Dane Warp, Malta does not have that luxury, especially inside.

“They have some good guards, but I think it’s going to depend on what they can do inside,” Leeds said. “They only have one kid that is 6-4, so we will see what they can do to get a post presence inside.”

But regardless of the opponent, Leeds and the Ponies feel that they are going to have the edge on most nights in large part because of Warp and his innate scoring ability. Last season, Warp was among the top scorers in all of Montana. He scored 30 points or more seven times last season on his way to averaging 23.7 points per game and earning All-State honors.

Yet, the Ponies are about more than just Warp and that is a big reason why expectations are so high. Junior Nate Rismon, who was named All-Conference honorable mention last season and junior point guard Jerod Boles both return, giving HHS a dynamic trio in the backcourt. In the post, Havre returns seniors Jase Kato and Michael Bakke, who will each provide a physical presence inside. That will give the Ponies the balance on offense as well as the defense and rebounding needed to be a contender in Class A.

“I would say that most games we are coming into this year, we are expecting to be ahead on the scoreboard by the end,” Leeds said. “That’s my expectation and I think that’s the kids’ expectation as well. Every year we have raised the standards a little bit higher, and this year we think that we can raise them even higher.”

While the Ponies split with Malta a season ago, they were swept handily by CMR, who they will play Saturday night. The Rustlers, who went 12-12 a season ago and were defeated in the first round of the AA state tournament, knocked off HHS by an average of 27 points, including a 60-34 win in Havre last winter.

Yet, the Rustlers will be without three of their starters from last year’s team but have two players in Andrew Grinde and Karl Tucker who are ready to take on starring roles despite each averaging less than 10 points a game a season ago.

Havre went 0-4 against CMR and fellow AA rival Great Falls High last season. So a victory over the Rustlers, who will provide a stern early season test for Leeds’ team, will go a long way in proving that the Ponies are ready to meet the lofty expectations bestowed upon them.

“Winning is a trait just like anything else,” Leeds said. “In my opinion, you can develop skills, you can develop strengths and you can develop a winning state of mind as well and that is important. We need to come out and approach every game with the attitude that we came here to win this game. (That) if we execute and play a good defensive game, we are better and we deserve to win.”

Havre will open its season against Malta tonight at 7:30, before taking on CMR Saturday at 5 p.m. Both games will be take place inside the HHS gymnasium.