Hustle makes up for a lot of mistakes.

Flathead senior Sam Thompson credited head coach Karly Tait for that statement before Saturday's Western AA girls basketball matchup with league-leading Helena Capital.

But it was Thompson who lived it.

Thompson went to the free-throw line with 21 seconds left in the third quarter and Flathead trailing the Bruins by three points.

She made the first, missed the second, but outhustled everyone for the rebound. She made the putback, drew another foul and sunk the free throw to put Flathead on top by a point at quarter's end.

But the Bruins (15-3, 10-0) bounced back by going 17-for-27 from the free- throw line - in the fourth quarter - to beat Flathead 61-55 in a foulfest.

For the game, Capital was 26-for-42 at the line. The Bravettes (7-10, 2-8) were 17-for-24.

"When I got that board, when the two girls down low were boxing out, no one boxed me out. I had a straight lane to the basket. I went for it and got the blocked shot and fouled again," Thompson said.

"If you have the hustle, that's how you are going to win the games and be able to play with the good teams," Thompson said.

"That was pretty intense," Tait said of Thompson's rebound.

"That's the fight Sam has in her. She's a competitor and she's improved so much. She got us back in it in that third quarter. She did not want to lose that game," Tait said.

"I wanted it so bad. We had a great game (Friday) and I think that really sparked us, let us know that we can play with the best teams in the conference," Thompson agreed.

"We definitely gave them a run for their money," she added.

"After last night, I didn't really know how we would come out, but what a weekend!" Tait said.

The Bravettes were in this one all the way, leading by as many as seven points in the first quarter. Helena led 27-26 at half.

"I'm so proud of how we played and so happy with how the girls stepped up. Each person, whether they were in for a minute or two, or three or four, contributed in their own way," Tait said.

Three Bravettes scored double figures - Tess Brenneman, Thompson and Emma Andrews had 11 points each.

"This is just really encouraging for the program," the coach said.

So, what does Flathead take from this game?

"We can compete with anybody in our conference and next week is huge. We go to Glacier and we go to Hellgate. That's two tough road games, but if we play like we did this weekend, I like our chances.

"I think we are so young we still can get better and now's a great time to be playing good basketball," the coach said.

Flathead honored its three seniors - Thompson, Christyne Hanson and Danika Johnson - and senior members of the band prior to the game.

Capital 13 14 13 21 - 61

Flathead 15 11 15 14 - 55

HELENA CAPITAL - Alexa Welch 0 2-2 2, Sadie Pilgeram 3 2-2 11, Emily Burk 1 1-2 4, Jordan Johnston 3 6-11 13, Kaci Matthiew 2 7-11 11, Smith Wells 1 5-6 7, Maggie Rickman 5 3-8 13. Totals 15 26-42 61.

Flathead - Emma Andrews 2 6-11 11, Sam Thompson 4 3-5 11, Christyne Hanson 1 2-2 5, Tess Brenneman 5 0-0 11, Ashlee O'Dell 1 2-2 4, Cassie Krueger 3 0-0 6, Jenessa Heine 0 4-4 4, Brittany Earnest 1 0-0 3, . Totals 17 17-24 55.

3-point goals: Capital 5 (Pilgeram 3, Burk 1, Johnston 1), Flathead 4 (Andrews 1, Hanson 1, Brenneman 1, Earnest 1). Total fouls: Flathead 26, Capital 23. Fouled out: Brenneman, Krueger, Robertson, Mathies.