The Flathead girls got their wish.

"We asked them a couple of weeks ago who they wanted to play, and to a player it was Sentinel," Flathead coach Kim Elliott said of the Bravettes' playoff foe.

Why Sentinel?

"Because we match up well, we've been close both games. They play hard and we feel we can play hard back with them."

Well, as the basketball regular season finally came to a close last Saturday, Sentinel wound up Western AA play in third place with a 9-3 mark, while Flathead finished sixth, 2-10. As a result, Sentinel will host the Bravettes on Friday at 7 p.m. in a play-in game with the winner advancing to state.

The AA tournament is March 12-14 in Butte. The Flathead/Sentinel winner will play next Thursday at noon against the Great Falls/Bozeman play-in winner from Eastern AA.

"They have a top scorer in (Bryn) Hasquet, we have a top scorer in Kelsey (Hildal)," Elliott said.

"They play real solid zone defense, they will pressure (you). But that's our strength with Kelsey and Tess (Brenneman) bringing it down and getting it inside to the J and J girls (Arielle and Danika Johnson)."

Hasquet is averaging 12 points per game, while Hildal is at 18.8, third best in AA.

The Spartans, 15-5 overall, won both regular season meetings with the Bravettes, 2-18, but by slim margins - 44-41 at Flathead and 47-41 in Missoula.

"It should be an incredible game," Elliott said.

"Very close, very tight."

Sentinel has won three straight and five of its last six games. Flathead ended a tough regular season on a high note last Saturday, dumping Hellgate in Missoula 43-40.

"There are two sides to that," Elliott said of the season.

"One, we should have a better record than we have. We've lost some close games. (On the other side) we have tremendous young ladies. They work hard, practices are good. They have bonded, come together."

Elliott feels the bonding and togetherness is worth a solid point or two, and that could be the difference versus Sentinel.

And …

"We have to shut down Hasquet," he said.

"No question. We can't lose her ever.

"We have to be prepared for (Brette) Rubie coming down with the ball," he added.

"She's very, very good."

Hasquet was limited to 11 points in the meeting at Flathead, but Rubie responded with a team-high 14. Hildal had 20 for Flathead.

In the game in Missoula, Hasquet had a game-high 22. Rubie, averaging 10.4 per game, wound up with eight.

Arielle Johnson, a 5-foot-10 senior forward, led Flathead with 13 points, Hildal had 12 and Danika Johnson, 6-foot-2 sophomore center, eight.

The Johnsons combined for 12 points in the first meeting.

"Danika and Arielle will be keys to the game," Elliott said.

"We need to take advantage of their height and their strength in the key. If we can do that, we'll be there right at the end."

Sentinel and Flathead are ninth and 10th, respectively, in AA in scoring. The Spartans are averaging 47.4 points per game and Flathead 43.6.

Danika Johnson is averaging 5.9 rebounds per outing. Bree Bates leads Sentinel at 5.1.

Flathead and Sentinel both advanced to state last year.

Flathead, however, lost to Butte in the opening round, then to Sentinel in loser-out play 48-46. Sentinel went on to finish fourth.