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Blue Ponies look to honor seniors with a win over Browning

HHS boys host Browning Saturday in a crucial senior day matinee

The Havre High boys basketball team is in desperate need of momentum with the Eastern A Divisional tournament less than a week away and a win over Browning, on senior day, could be just the thing to provide it.

"I think it would be a really big confidence boost," HHS head coach Curt Leeds said. "And it would help us either way. If we win, we won't be worse than the fourth seed, if we lose, we get fifth."

Leeds is referring to the Blue Ponies' final spot in Central A standings, which determines who and when they will play at divisionals. Havre and Browning will both have spots solidified based on what happens when the two teams meet Saturday inside the HHS gymnasium. With a win, Havre gets no worse than fourth and even has a chance at third with a win by Livingston over Lewistown. A loss means HHS finishes fifth and heads to a divisional play-in game. Tip-off time between Havre and Browning is set for 2 p.m.

"This is a big game for both teams," Leeds said. "Browning, there is a lot that could happen with them. If they win, they could get as high as a two seed, if they lose, they could fall as far as fifth. We still have an outside chance at third if we win and get some help."

While the final game of the season has extra importance for the Ponies (3-14, 2-5) it will mean even more because it's senior day, when HHS will celebrate the final game at home for seniors Nate Korb, Isaac Warp, Jacob LaBrie, Jake Sedahl, Ryan Bakke and Bobby Personett.

"This is a really good group of kids," Leeds said. "There are a lot of multi-sport athletes and some great students."

One encouraging thing for Havre is that in the first matchup, the Ponies found a way to win on the road against the Indians, 52-49. Yet if HHS is going to have a chance at upsetting Browning, it will need big games from seniors Nate Korb and Isaac Warp, the team's two leading scorers.

"Nate, he has been our 5-11 big man," Leeds said. "He has been a four-year guy on varsity and this year he has stepped up and come into his own."

While Korb averages 9.4 points per game, he is also bringing down 4.6 rebounds per game, which is also a team high. Warp leads the team in made 3-point field goals at 33 in 17 games. Ivar Aageson averages 7.1 points a night for Havre, while Tanner Parsons scores 6.2.

The Indians have a balanced scoring attack that averages 61.1 points per game. However, Browning is led by Brandon Aimsback, who averages 11.4 points and Weston Mad Plume, who scores 10.7.

"Against Browning, rebounding is always a key," Leeds said. "We need to try and keep them off the boards and slow them down a little bit. But the big thing for us is that if we can shoot 35-40 percent, I think we can beat teams, but if we are shooting in the 20s, it's going to be difficult."

While the Havre boys will be at home against Browning Saturday, the Havre girls will head to Browning that same day. Yet, unlike the boys team, the Blue Pony girls have nothing to play for, at least not as far as the Eastern A is concerned. Havre has already clinched the top seed from the Central A. However, with a win over Browning, girls team can finish conference play unbeaten.

"We are just looking to play our best basketball heading towards divisionals," HHS girls head basketball coach Dustin Kraske said. "It's tough to play down there in Browning, so we are looking forward to the challenge."

The Ponies will be paced by top scorers Naomi Terry and Kyndall Keller. Terry is among the top 10 scorers in Class A girls basketball and comes in averaging 14.2 points per game. Keller, a freshman, is averaging 11.9. Ceyara Plante has been another solid contributor for Havre this season, scoring 7.2 points per game, while Danielle Wallace averages 5.4.

The Indians don't really have a star player like Terry or Keller, but they do have a number of talented players and rely on a number of different girls to score. Marselena Whiteman is the top offensive threat for the Indians, as she scores 10.1 a game, while Tamica Guardipee is the other top scorer for the Indians with 8.9 a game. Browning has four others that score at least five a game.

Havre and Browning will play Saturday in Browning at 2 p.m. The Havre boys will host Browning Saturday at 2 p.m. The Eastern A Divisional begins Wednesday in Billings at the Metra.

 

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