Five things to watch for this season in local high school boys basketball

In the state of Montana and along the Hi-Line, basketball is a way of life. And after months of waiting, since last March to be exact, high school hoops is just about back.

Of course, the two local teams that performed better than any other a season ago, were Hays-Lodge Pole and Box Elder. The two District 9C teams made it back to the Class C boys state tournament after battling each other in epic showdowns in the district and divisional championship games.

However, other teams like Chinook, North Star and Rocky Boy of Class B, showed potential for the future, particularly the Sugarbeeters, as each fell just a couple wins short of playing at state. When it comes to Havre and boys basketball from along the Hi-Line, there is no shortage of storylines and with that, here are five things to watch in 2017-18.

What will Box Elder be like without Jeremy MacDonald?

Starting with 2014 Class C state championship, the Box Elder Bears, under the direction of MacDonald, went on an incredible run. In a five-year span, the Bears won two state championships, five district titles and two Northern C Divisional championships, as well as three state tournament berths.

Yet, as the saying goes, all good things must come to an end, and at the end of the last season MacDonald announced he was stepping down as head coach. While he is now the Superintendent of the Box Elder School District, MacDonald’s incredible run on the sideline is over. But what will that mean for the Bears?

Long-time assistant LaVon Myers has taken over for MacDonald, which should lead to a smooth transition. But after the graduation of All-State performers Trey Henderson and Pernell Morsette, the Bears will be counting on younger players to step up and help them keep their place among the top teams in the 9C.

Can Chinook take the next step?

During the tenure of Mike Seymour, Chinook boys basketball has enjoyed consistent success. The Beeters have been a yearly contender in the 9C and have made the Northern C Divisional in four of the past five seasons.

The Beeters, who finished third in the 9C tournament, won multiple games in the Four Seasons at Great Falls in 2017, but came up on a win short of playing in the consolation game. But with the majority of the team back, this could be the year the Beeters finally make it to state.

With All-State forward Kord Schneider and 9C All-Conference pick Isaac Bell back in the fold, along with others such as Brendan Edwards and Trajan Hannum, Chinook might have the most talented team in the 9C. Of course, Box Elder, Hays-Lodge Pole and North Star will have something to say about it and the path through the rest of the Northern C Division isn’t a cakewalk either. But Chinook is for real and it has its sights set on a district championship as least, maybe more.

Will the Blue Ponies rebound?

After making the Class A state tournament three straight years, from 2014-16, the Havre boys basketball team struggled during the 2016-17 season, going just 3-17. Following the loss of Dane Warp, Nate Rismon and Jerod Boles, it was going to be hard to avoid a drop off, but after a year to reload, it will be interesting to see if the Ponies can get back on the winning track.

Havre will have Curt Leeds back as head coach this season and some returning veterans such as Ivar Aageson, Jacob Irvin, Trey Murphy and Tanner Parsons. Parsons, who saw significant time as a freshman, will be counted on to improve, along with juniors such as Tyson Sangrey and Austin Delarosa.

Can Rocky Boy get out of the loaded Northern B?

Like many other local area teams, Rocky Boy has a rich basketball tradition. The Stars played for the Class C state championship in 2008 and 2009, finishing as the runner-up, before winning a Class B state title back in 2010.

However, the Stars haven’t been to the state tournament since 2015, when Rocky Boy walked away with a third-place trophy. Last season, behind a balanced team and the inside play of Kendall Windy Boy, Rocky Boy appeared poised to make it back. The Stars won the District 1B Championship, before their state tournament dream came crashing down in the Northern B semifinals, when they lost to Shelby 83-59. Rocky Boy lost to Choteau in loser-out action and fell two wins short of state.

Yet, with Windy Boy back in the fold for his junior season, after averaging a double-double for the second straight year, along with Kordell Small and Ben Iron Eyes, the Stars should have plenty of firepower, but in the Northern B, with defending Class B state champion Malta, along with Shelby, Cut Bank, Choteau, Fairfield and Glasgow to contend with, nothing will come easy.

How will things shake out in the 9C?

When MacDonald was coaching Box Elder, the Bears owned the 9C and enter this season as the five-time district champions. Yet, they lost their two All-State performers from a season ago, as did Hays-Lodge Pole, which graduated Tyson Shambo and Frank Runs Above.

Both the Bears and the T-Birds have made three consecutive appearances at the Northern C Divisional, but other contenders such as North Star, Fort Benton and Chinook see an opening. Of course, teams like Big Sandy, Turner and Chester-Joplin-Inverness shouldn’t be counted out.

The 9C race is always tight and competitive, but with a slew of All-State players gone, plus the stepping aside of MacDonald, the district could be more wide open than it’s been in years. So when the 9C tourney rolls around this February, settle in for what’s sure to be a wild ride.