Perfect Stars: Rocky Boy wins Northern B

For the second time in two years, the Rocky Boy boys basketball team will go into a state tournament with a perfect record. Only this weekend, the Stars (23-0) will do it at another level. On Saturday night at the Northern B Divisional tournament in Glasgow, Rocky Boy kept its unblemished record going with a 58-48 win over the Shelby Coyotes in the divisional championship game. The win was the second in as many weeks over Shelby in a championship tilt, and it means the Stars will play in their first Class B state tournament Thursday at the Four Seasons Arena in Great Falls. As expected, the Stars and Coyotes kept things close for much of Saturday night's championship game. The teams were tied at 13-13 heading into the second quarter, but a Jerod Parker 3-pointer proved to be the difference in the first half as the Stars led 29-26 at intermission. The Coyotes, coached by former Havre Blue Pony great Tom Reynolds, kept things tight in the third quarter, but the Stars were able to get a cushion midway through the fourth stanza thanks to a 14-8 run. Parker paced Rocky Boy with 16 points and Erik Schildt added 15 points and eight rebounds as Rocky Boy beat Shelby for the fourth time this season. Leisin Oats added 11 points as well for the Stars. The Stars reached the title game by crushing District 2B rival Malta 98-76 on Friday night. The Stars actually trailed the Mustangs 19-12 at the end of the first quarter, but then came roaring back. Rocky Boy scored 29 points in the second stanza and another 26 in the third period to take a commanding 87- 69 lead into the final period of play. In the win over Malta, the Stars got 21 points from Parker and 17 each from Schildt and JC Hawk. Oats also scored 16 points and Loren Standing Rock followed with 10. The Stars will now prepare to play in their first Class B state tournament game Thursday at 12:30 p.m. in Great Falls.