For the Flathead’s boys basketball team, it’s back to state.

The Braves held off a persistent Missoula Sentinel squad with key shots by Matt McLean, George Sherwood, Chris Cronk and Garth West — to name just a few — in a 61-50 Western AA play-in victory Thursday night at Flathead High School.

“Three in a row,” Flathead coach Fred Febach said of trips to state for his Braves.

“We kind of like that trend.”

Flathead dropped Helena Capital and Helena High at home the previous two years in play-in contests for the right to advance.

The “three in a row,” however, could also apply to Flathead’s string of wins against Sentinel this season. Earlier, the Braves pulled out a tight 59-58 win in Missoula and prevailed in a tough affair at home 49-45.

And the finale was just as pressure-packed until Flathead put the issue to rest at the free-throw line down the stretch. With 24.2 seconds left, McLean heading for the charity trip for a pair of shots and the Braves on top 60-49, the student section also felt safe enough to finally start the State, State, State chants.

“Overall, a good, solid win,” Febach said.

“Having us in a playoff situation to get to state next week, that’s a good thing.”

Flathead, again, cashed in big time on its home court from the free-throw line. The Braves hit their first 15 attempts and finished up by going 24 of 34.

McLean was 11 of 13 en route to a 25-point game.

Sherwood hit 5 of 7 and finished with nine points.

Cronk also had nine points.

Flathead led by seven in the first period and by as many as 11 just before halftime. But Sentinel responded each time.

Sam Hanich scored 11 of his 14 points in the second quarter to keep the Spartans close at intermission, down 27-20.

However McLean hit a 3 and added two more free throws and Shea Schroeder dropped a tough baseline bucket in heavy traffic to end the half for FHS on a good note.

Sentinel slipped within three on a jumper off the glass by Riley King, but a fast-break basket by McLean and a 3 by Cronk had Flathead quickly back on top by eight with 3:09 left in the third quarter.

Flathead led by 11-points at quarters end.

Sentinel closed a final time within six, but free throws sealed it for Flathead after that.

The Braves tallied 18 points in the final frame, 12 coming from the free-throw line.

“Give coach (Craig) Matosich a lot of credit,” Febach said.

“He had a great game plan. His kids played well, played hard.”

Febach said it was frustrating the Braves could never quite pull away for keeps in this one.

“We’d give it back to them,” he said of the momentum.

“A couple turnovers, a couple missed shots, but part of the credit goes to them.”

King, who finished with 14 points, had a team best eight rebounds.

Sentinel held a slight edge on the boards, 29-27.

Nick James topped Flathead with five rebounds.

Flathead finished the season 8-3 at home.

Sentinel 5 15 12 18 — 50

Flathead 12 15 16 18 — 61

MISSOULA SENTINEL — Tanner Maier 0 0-2 0, Jason Neiberg 0 1-2 1, Alec Bray 1 3-4 6, Sam Hanich 4 6-9 14, Brad Corntassel 4 0-0 9, Nathan Jewett 3 0-0 6, Riley King 6 2-5 14. Totals: 18 12-22 50.

FLATHEAD — Chris Cronk 3 2-4 9, Matt Tokarz 2 1-2 5, Matt McLean 5 11-13 23, George Sherwood 2 5-7 9, Austin Jones 0 2-2 2, Shea Schroeder 1 0-0 2, Nick James 2 1-4 3, Garth West 3 2-2 8. Totals: 18 24-34 61.

3-point goals: Bray, Corntassel; Cronk, McLean; Team fouls: Sentinel 24, Flathead 25; Fouled out: Hanich, Austin Violette, Corntassel; Sherwood, Schroeder; Rebounds — Sentinel 29 (King 8), Flathead 27 (James 5); Assists — Sentinel 6, Flathead 13 (McLean 5); Steals — Sentinel 9 (Bray 3), Flathead 14 (Sherwood 4, McLean 4); Turnovers; Sentinel 24, Flathead 22.

Senior 75, Butte 52

Butte 12 9 19 12 — 52

Senior 21 17 19 18 — 75

Butte (8-13) — Brock Bond 3-10 0-0 8, Jake Dennehy 2-2 3-3 7, Dallas Cook 3-7 1-7 8, Austin Davis 6-12 6-7 18, Cody Carriger 3-7 3-4 9, Cory Farstveet 1-1 0-0 2. Totals 18-41 14-20 52. 3-pointers: 2-9 (Bond 2). Rebounds: 35 (Carriger 11, Davis 10). Assists: 11 (Bond 5). Total fouls: 15. Fouled out: Smith.

Billings Senior (12-9) — Luke Reinschmidt 1-7 0-0 3, Randy Karls 1-4 0-1 2, Trevin McNeil 10-15 2-2 27, Cooper Kouwenhoven 1-6 2-2 4, Skyler Scheetz 6-10 0-0 15, Chad Newell 5-13 3-10 13, Tad Rose 3-6 0-0 7, Trae Dolan 0-0 4-4 4, Kelly Tipton 0-0 2-2 2. Totals 26-62 13-21 75. 3-pointers: 10-25 (McNeil 5, Scheetz 3, Kouwenhoven 1, Rose 1, Reinschmidt 1). Rebounds: 32 (Reinschmidt 5, McNeil 5). Assists: 18 (Newell 4, Kouwenhoven 4, McNeil 4). Total fouls: 18. Fouled out: None.