Perfect Havre girls look to keep it rolling against Rocky Boy, Browning

The Havre High girls basketball team has dominated just about every team that has crossed its path this season. But in the next two days, the Blue Ponies will face some of their toughest competition yet.

That’s because starting tonight, the Ponies will face two teams with 6-2 records on back-to-back nights. Havre will welcome Rocky Boy into the HHS gymnasium tonight for a renewal of their rivalry with the Morning Stars at 7, followed by a visit to Browning Friday, which is also slated to start at 7 p.m.

“The kids are excited to play,” HHS head coach Dustin Kraske said. “I don’t know how much they think of it as a rivalry game (Rocky Boy). It has been the same week as Browning a lot and because Browning was in our conference, they got more attention because that is just our philosophy. But now they aren’t and this week has been a little different. It isn’t quite the same, so now it’s just working on doing our thing.”

While the Ponies don’t prepare overly hard for non-conference opponents, they have still been pretty good at beating them this season, boasting a 5-0 record outside of the Central A. Yet, the truth is, Havre has been on another level than most of the teams it has faced this season. The Ponies have only had one game decided by single digits and that was an eight point win over Great Falls High. Outside of that, only two Havre victories have come by fewer than 30 points.

Havre's average margin of victory this season is 30 points. HHS is scoring 59.6 per game and holding its opponents to 29. In fact, only one team, Fairfield, which scored 42, has scored at least 40. However, what makes the Havre girls such a threat is they are still looking for ways to get better.

“We have a lot of things we can do better,” Kraske said. “We can do a better job of getting everyone to catch the ball and look to score. We don’t always do that. If we are playing man, then we need to get up and guard our guy. There are things we do 90 percent of the time that we need to do a 100 percent of the time. So it’s a lot of those little things that make the difference and that’s what we are focused on. These kids really focus on doing the little things right and that’s exciting because it’s only January.”

Havre has always had a reputation as a great defensive team, but led by Kyndall Keller, who scores more than 20 per game, the Ponies are becoming a dangerous offensive team, too. Danielle Wallace is also averaging double figures with 10.7 ppg, followed by Marca Herron (7.1 ppg) and Kaylee Nystrom (6.9).

Wallace is the team’s leading rebounder. Nystrom leads in steals and assists and Keller leads in three-point shooting, knocking down 44 percent of her shots from deep. Herron is also hitting 41 percent from beyond the arc.

In Rocky Boy, the Ponies face a team that is both talented and experienced. The Morning Stars only losses have come against Harlem and Fairfield. The Morning Stars boast players like Adrienne Gopher, Sasha Coffee, Sean Henry and Jaylynn Mitchell.

“I like them,” Kraske said. “I think they have a good team. They have some good returning players, and I think it will be a good challenge for us.”

After taking on the Stars tonight in Havre, the Ponies will travel to Browning to take on their old Central A rivals in a battle of top-five teams. The Ponies are third in the latest girls basketball poll and Browning, which is 4-0 in the Northwest A, is No. 4.

The Indians have a talented lineup that averages 62 ppg. Four players, led by Tameka Guardipee (12.2. ppg) are averaging double figures. The others are Dulci Skunkcap (11.8 ppg), Taylor Jordan (10.8 ppg) and Ronnel Jordan (10.6 ppg).

“Guardipee, she is a heck of a player,” Kraske said. “It’s going to be fun. I love playing down there, and I think it will be fun to play a good team, a really good class A opponent. Ray (Augare, Browning head coach) does a really good job. It should be a good test for us. I am excited about it.”

Havre and Rocky Boy will play tonight at 7 inside the HHS gymnasium. The Ponies will play the Indians Friday in Browning at 7 p.m.