Fast Start: Bears cruise into semis

GREAT FALLS — It may have been 18 years since the Box Elder girls basketball team has played in a state tournament. But that didn’t stop the Lady Bears from looking right at home in their opening-round game Thursday in Great Falls.

Box Elder, which came into the Class C state tournament with just one loss, flexed their muscle early and often in a 71-53 victory over previously unbeaten Broadview-Lavina. The win, which came at the Four Seasons Arena, will send the Bears (24-1) to the semifinals on tonight where they will go head-to-head with Arlee for a berth in the championship game Saturday night.

“It’s always good to come out and play your best at the state tournament and I thought we played pretty well today,” Box Elder head coach Joel Rosette said. “We executed and we did the things that we wanted to do. So I am very pleased with our team.”

Box Elder came out firing as Tia Russell notched an early 3-point play and a bucket to put the Bears in front 6-5. Then freshman Lillian Gopher came off the bench and drilled a 3-pointer to help the Bears build an 11-6 lead. However, Broadview-Lavina would answer and after closing the opening stanza on a 8-2 run, the game was tied 13-13.

Down 15-13, Russell, a junior, again made her presence felt, knocking down her first trey of the game to put the Lady Bears back up 16-15. Then, with the score 18-17 in favor of Box Elder, Jaynee Parisian hit from deep, which sparked an 8-0 run that gave the Lady Bears a 26-17 advantage with over two minutes left before the half.

The run continued in the final minutes, as a couple of buckets by Tyrah Gopher extended the Box Elder lead to 31-18 at intermission.

“She’s just a steady performer for us,” Rosette said of Gopher. “She knows her role. She doesn't say too much, she just so shows up and takes care of business.”

In the second half, it was all about the Gophers for Box Elder as Lillian and Tyrah Gopher combined for 10 of the Lady Bears’ first 12 points of the half. And when Lillian Gopher connected from deep, Box Elder led 43-29.

Yet, the Lady Pirates would make a run of their own and after an 18-9 spurt in the third quarter, Broadview-Lavina trailed by just six points at 45-39, late in the third. But, again, the Lady Bears had the answer, as they reeled off a 13-1 run that included four buckets from Tyrah Gopher and another triple from Lillian Gopher, which put them ahead 58-40 early in the fourth quarter.

“I had a lot of confidence to shoot the ball,” said Lillian Gopher, who finished with 14 points and three 3-pointers. “I have my role on the team and I just try to play that role and give us a boost. I try to play with no fear.

“As a freshman, for her to step up like that is big,” Rosette said of Gopher. “She has shown the capability all year, but for her to do it at state is impressive.”

Another trey by Gopher and a 3-point play by Russell, her second of the game, put the Lady Bears in front 68-47 lead with just 2:08 remaining. From there, it was all elementary as Box Elder rolled to the semis, where it will face Arlee.

Tyrah Gopher paced the Lady Bears with a game-high 16 points, to go along with six rebounds. Russell added 15 points, while Lillian Gopher had 14 points, seven assists and two steals.

Krista Schott scored 15 points to lead the way for the Pirates, who were held to just 34 percent shooting from the field. Brenna Beckett added 10.

“We knew that they were good shooters,” Rosette said. “We just wanted to make sure that they felt our presence all day, so we focused on closing out on them hard and making it difficult for them.”

If the Lady Bears win tonight’s game against Arlee, which will tip-off at 6:30 inside the Four Seasons Arena, they will play in the Class C girls championship game, Saturday night at 8 p.m.

“They are a good team, they have some good size,” Rosette said of Arlee. “So playing good defense and rebounding will be a big key. Rebounding is going to be really important against a team like that.”

Box Elder 71, Broadview-Lavina 58

Broadview-Lavina 13 5 21 14 - 58

Box Elder 13 18 19 21 - 71

Broadview-Lavina - Emily McKeever 2, Brenna Beckett 10, Krista Schott 15, Alexi Payne 7, Chloe Hanser 5, Hope Opie 5, Kylie Schott 9. Totals: 17 13-17 53.

Box Elder - Jaynee Parisian 8, Minnie The Boy 5, Kiya Morsette 3, Jude The Boy 4, Jude The Boy 4, Lillian Gopher 14, Alyssa Lamere 6, Tia Russell 15, Tyrah Gopher 16. Totals: 28 8-14 71.

Fouls: Box Elder 18, Broadview-Lavina 13. 3-Pointers: Lillian Gopher 3, Russell 2, Beckett 2, Schott, Schott, Hanser, Minnie The Boy, Jaynee Parisian, Kiya Morsette.