RONAN - The Chiefs came back from ten points down against

Hamilton on Friday but two free throws with 3.2 seconds to go

allowed the Broncs to escape the Events Center with a 45-43

win.

RONAN - The Chiefs came back from ten points down against Hamilton on Friday but two free throws with 3.2 seconds to go allowed the Broncs to escape the Events Center with a 45-43 win.

"We would have had a double digit win if we made our layups and free throws," Ronan head coach Steve Woll said.

For the game, the Chiefs were 12-for-23 from the free throw line and they missed 11 uncontested layups.

However, despite its shooting woes, Ronan battled valiantly. Trailing 25-17 at the half, the Chiefs closed the game by outscoring Hamilton 16-14 in the third quarter and had things tied 41-41 in the fourth.

"We just couldn't get over the dang hump," Woll said. "It was hopefully not a loss but a lesson."

Senior Lucas Black led Ronan with 12 points, while seniors J.J. Tanner and Kevin Wroblewski added nine and eight points respectively.

Woll said that with the missed shots it was hard to employ the Chiefs' press defense because of the lack of inbound passes that required Hamilton to go the length of the court.

However, Ronan would get their defense working against Mission on Saturday. Having coached in St. Ignatius for eight years before moving to Ronan three years ago, Woll was familiar with the faces coming in.

"I had a lot of those kids when I was there," he said. "It was nice to see them at the varsity level."

After the first quarter, the two teams were close with Ronan holding the slim 14-12 lead. The Chiefs would quickly change things though.

"They came out playing hard and tough," Woll said. "I think the second quarter was where we blew it open."

Ronan outscored Mission 20-2 in the second quarter for the 34-14 lead. The run set the tone for the Chiefs in the game.

"We play off adrenaline and momentum," Woll said.

Senior Justin Dusty Bull led the team with 17 points while Wroblewski added 8 and junior Marcus Hungerford and RJ Hesselgesser both had six apiece.

After their 81-63 win against Bigfork on Monday, the Chiefs will take Christmas Break to get ready for a tough conference slate right after the holidays. Ronan will look to upend Polson on Jan. 7 and then face Libby.

"It doesn't get any tougher than that," Woll said