Frontier Notebook: Hoops reaches halfway point of a challenging season

In more ways than one, it was a tough week for the Frontier Conference in basketball, as COVID-19 continues to play a role.

Nevertheless, the league has indeed reached the halfway point of what has been a historic and challenging season.

Story lines on both sides after one month of league play include canceled games, but most everyone in the league was prepared for that. Beyond COVID, though, the Frontier women have somewhat gone according to par thus far, as Carroll College is in full control at 9-1, while Montana Western is also in the driver's seat at 8-4. Of course, parity is big in the Frontier and this year is no different as MSU-Northern and Montana Tech, while suffering some tough losses, still look like teams that could beat anyone on any given night.

Speaking of the Orediggers, they, too, are a story because, halfway through the season, they are the only team that has yet to have a league game canceled. They have already played 14 games in conference so far, while Western has played 12 and Carroll 10. Conversely, Rocky Mountain College has played just six games, and Providence has played only seven so far.

On the men's side, the parity is even thicker. Providence is in first place at 7-1, but Carroll, Montana Tech and MSU-Northern are all within striking distance of the Argos, and Northern was the first team to beat the Argos this season as the Lights won a shootout last Saturday night. Like the Oredigger women, Tech's men have also played 14 conference games so far, while both they and Carroll have played 16 games, the most of any team in the Frontier as the league begins the second half of league play this weekend.

Leaders

At the halfway juncture of the 2021 slate, Montana Tech's Sindou Diallo (20 ppg) leads the Frontier men in scoring, while Northern's David Harris is second at 18 a game and Mascio McCadney is fourth at 17.5 points per night. In all, 16 players in the league average more than 10 points per outing. NAIA All-American Zach Darko-Kelly leads the league in rebounding at 11 per night, while also leading the conference in steals and blocks to go with his 17 points per game. Montana Western's Max Clark leads the league in assists with his 5.5 per game.

In women's play, Western's Brynley Fitzgerald and UP's Emilee Maldonado lead the league in scoring, each putting in 18 points per game. In total, 14 players around the league are averaging double figures, including Carroll star Dani Wagner (15 ppg) and Northern's Peyton Kehr and McKenzie Gunter. MSU-N's Sydney Hovde is the top rebounder in the conference at nine per night, while Maldonado leads the league in assists, and Western's Paige Holmes is first in steals.

Frontier Honors

Western's Brynley Fitzgerald was named Frontier Conference Women's Player of the Week.

Fitzgerald is a 5-foot-11 junior guard from Dillon.

(RV) Montana Western went 2-0 for the week. The Bulldogs swept their weekend series at Montana Tech winning Saturday 74-52 and Sunday 61-52.

Fitzgerald averaged 24 points, five rebounds, one assist and two steals. She was 17 of 32 from the field and 11 of 12 from the free throw line. She has scored 20-plus points in her last three league games and leads the conference in scoring.

Diallo was named Men's Player of the Week. Diallo is a 6-foot-3 senior guard from Tacoma, Washington.

Montana Tech went 3-0 for the week beating Montana Western 86-81 Wednesday, 88-78 Saturday and 82-76 Sunday.

For the week, Diallo averaged 19.3 points, 5.7 rebounds, four assists and one steal per game. He was 21 of 35 from the field including 3 of 8 in 3-point field goals and 13 of 18 from free throw line. He opened the three-game set with a 31-point performance Wednesday. McCadney was also nominated.

After the first week of Frontier volleyball, Providence' Cydney Finberg-Roberts was named Setter of the Week, and Rocky teammates Monique Rodriguez and Ayla Embry were honored as Attacker of the Week and Defender of the Week, respectively.