Area teams get back to basketball

It was a quiet return to high school basketball this past weekend, but several area teams did get their 2016 schedule underway.

The Class B Harlem Wildcats were one of those local teams to play last Saturday night, as both the Harlem boys and girls took on Cut Bank.

In the boys game, which was in Cut Bank, the Wolves jumped out to a 14-0 lead at the end of the first quarter and led 27-9 en route to a dominating 59-32 victory. Keahna Little led the Wildcats with a team-high 15 points, while Terry Sandcrane pitched in with 11.

In the girls contest, in Harlem, Cut Bank also dominated from start to finish as the Wolves scored 32 first-half points to grab a 32-22 lead. Then, the Wolves outscored Harlem 38-31 in the final 16 minutes to salt away a 70-54 victory. Skylee Dirden poured in a game-high 26 points in the loss for the Wildcats who also got 12 points from Autumn Little Plume.

Elsewhere in local basketball, the Hays-Lodge Pole Thunderbirds played host to the Big Sandy Pioneers in both boys and girls District 9C basketball Saturday night.

In the battle of the boys teams, it was the T-Birds, who came out on top, easily dispatching of the Pioneers at home by the score of 77-18. The win improves HLP to 2-4 overall on the season and 2-2 in 9C play. The Pioneers are 0-6 overall and 0-3 in the district.

On the girls side of things, the Pioneers got their first win of the season with a 34-31 road win. The Pioneers are now 1-5 overall and 1-2 in district play, while the HLP girls are 0-6 on the season, 0-4 in the 9C.

District 9C action resumes tonight with big games between Box Elder and Chinook in Box Elder, as well as Turner visiting Dodson. And, a full slate of action is scheduled for this weekend.

Cut Bank 70, Harlem 54

Cut Bank 19 13 23 15 – 70

Harlem 10 12 12 19 – 54

Cut Bank: Marissa VandenBos 24, Dakota Dosch 18, Brylee Crossguns 9, Madi Seifert 8, Jaycee Frydenlund 5, Brynne Finstad 3, Emma Pyette 2, Sarah Theis 2. 3 pt – Brylee Crossguns 1

Harlem: Skylee Dirden 26, Autumn Little Plume 12, Anita Bentley 4, Jazzamyn Benson 4, Mari Ereaux 3, Emma Humphreys 3, Brooke Levaldo 1.

Cut Bank 59, Harlem 32

Harlem 0 9 12 11 — 32

Cut Bank 14 13 24 8 — 59

Harlem – Terry Sanderane 11, Michael Butterfly 2, Keahna Little 15, Damon Adams 2, Coke Azure 2. Totals: 13 5-12.

Cut Bank – Reid Berkram 3, Evan Harrell 6, Nate Wynn 2, Dawson Matt 3, Seth Omsberg 19, Kyle Brauhn 4, Wyatt Harwood 14, James Growing Thunder 6, Haltsten Beck 2. Totals: 26 4-13.

3-Point goals – Little 1, Berkram 1, Harrell 2, Matt 1, Osmberg 2. Total fouls – Harlem 14, Cut Bank 12. Fouled out – None.