If a 49-20 loss at Helena High on Jan. 29 was a season low point for the Flathead Bravettes, Friday was easily a season high.

The Bravettes avenged that loss with some sharp shooting by a handful of players down the stretch, never caved despite leading by as many as 11 points and wound up beating the Bengals 51-46 in Western AA girls basketball action at FHS.

Flathead (7-9 overall and 2-7 league) took the lead for keeps on a pair of free throws by Jenessa Heine, her only points of the night, with 3:03 left in the first half at 24-22 as the Bravettes won for the second time in their last four games.

"That's awesome," Flathead coach Karly Tait said of her team's performance.

"We finally played as a team. We played hard the whole 32 minutes and we knocked down shots when we needed to."

Monica Grimsrud, Helena's 6-foot-1 star senior center, was held in check for much of the night. She finished with 10 points, seven fewer than the earlier meeting with the Bravettes.

She also spent some time on the bench with foul trouble.

Flathead's Tess Brenneman came through with a game-high 14 points. Ten of those came in the final half and six in the fourth quarter.

Brenneman finished with just seven in the first Bengal game.

"She had a great all-around game," Tait said of Brenneman.

"She guarded Grimsrud. She's (Grimsrud) such a good player."

Grimsrud hit a trey with 3:51 to play to get Helena within three, 46-43, but Sam Thompson came right back with a short-range jumper to put the Bravettes back up by five.

Mykaylee Verworn hit her second 3 of the fourth quarter with 2:22 left to get the Bengals within two, 48-46, but Cassie Krueger, who finished with 11 points, nailed two free throws 14 second later to put the Bravettes in front by four.

Flathead held on from there.

"We did not fold," Tait said.

"I'm so proud of them for that.

"All it took was a little bit of momentum and we kept it. That's something we haven't done all year. We kind of got over the hump, we did get over the hump tonight. Now we know what we are capable of."

Emma Andrew also had a big offensive night for Flathead with 12 points.

Helena was led by Taylor Kanthack, 11 points. Verworn tossed in 10.

Flathead hosts third-ranked Helena Capital today at 2:30 p.m.

Helena High 14 8 11 13 - 46

Flathead 8 18 13 12 - 51

HELENA HIGH - Sydne Simanton 2 2-2 6, Tatum Teegarden 1 1-4 3, Mykaylee Verworn 2 4-6 10, Sydney Carpenter 2 2-2 6, Taylor Kanthack 4 3-4 11, Monica Grimsrud 3 2-4 10. Totals: 14 14-22 46.

FLATHEAD - Emma Andrews 5 0-0 12, Sam Thompson 1 0-0 2, Tess Brenneman 5 3-5 14, Ashlee O'Dell 3 1-2 7, Brittany Earnest 1 0-0 3, Cassie Krueger 4 2-2 11, Jenessa Heine 0 2-2 2. Totals: 19 8-11 51.

3-point goals: Verworn (2), Grimsrud (2); Andrews (2), Brenneman; Team fouls: Helena High 16, Flathead 15; Fouled out: none.