Class A state girls basketball: Wildkats rally, but fall short
The Daily Inter Lake | Hagadone News Network | UPDATED 10 years, 10 months AGO
GREAT FALLS — Hamilton knocked off top-ranked Columbia Falls 44-39 on Friday night at Four Seasons Arena in semifinal action at the Class A state girls basketball tournament.
Second-ranked Hamilton led by as many as 18 points in the first half, but needed free throws by Jaylee Albert (4 of 4) and Sami Kratofil (2 of 2) down the stretch to hold off a furious rally by the Wildkats.
Columbia Falls slipped to within one twice — 38-37 on a Haley Belgarde putback and 40-39 with 52 seconds remaining with two free throws by Ciera Finberg.
Those, however, were the final points for the Wildkats, who missed two free throws after that.
“Everything that could have gone wrong early on went wrong,” Columbia Falls coach Cary Finberg said.
“We shot 10 percent in the first quarter, they are hitting every thing. We get into foul trouble, had a couple bad turnovers. It was a nightmare in the first quarter.”
Albert, who as 4 of 6 from 3-point range and 7 of 8 at the charity line, wound up with 21 points to lead all scorers.
Taylor Goligoski added 14.
Ciera Finberg, who hit a three to get the Wildkats to within two, trailing 37-35 with 1:30 to play, had 13 points. She nailed three 3s in the game.
Belgarde finished with 10 points.
Hamilton had 18 turnovers to 12 for Columbia Falls. The Broncs gave Columbia Falls one last opportunity with a huge turnover on an inbounds pass with 12 seconds left. The Wildkats failed to capitalize.
Columbia Falls held a slight edge in rebounding, 26-25. Belgarde had seven.
Hamilton enjoyed a big edge at the free-throw line, going 17 for 27. Columbia Falls was 8 of 16.
“We win the second quarter, third quarter, fourth quarter,” coach Finberg said.
“When you win three of the four quarters you should win the game. Unfortunately for us, we dug such a big hole we couldn’t get out of it.”
Hamilton and Columbia Falls met back in December on the opening weekend of play with Columbia Falls winning that matchup 48-34.
“I’m very proud of their effort, getting back into it,” coach Finberg said.
“We gave ourselves a chance. We came up a little short.
“We picked a bad time to play our worst offensive game of the year,” he added.
“We just couldn’t buy a basket. Missed opportunities early cost us.”
The loss drops Columbia Falls into loser-out play today at 9:30 a.m. versus Frenchtown. Frenchtown beat Anaconda 65-52 on Friday in consolation action. The Columbia Falls-Frenchtown winner moves on to the consolation final at 6:30 p.m.
“We’ll find a way to battle back,” coach Finberg said.
“This (9:30 a.m.) is a tough ballgame to play. I hope we find a way to compete. Hopefully we’ll show up tomorrow and give it a go.”
Hamilton plays Havre in the championship game at 8 p.m.
Semifinals
Hamilton 44, Columbia Falls 39
Columbia Falls 4 11 8 16 — 39
Hamilton 19 9 7 9 — 44
Columbia Falls (20-2) — Summer Burlage 0-2 3-4 3, Ciera Finberg 4-10 2-3 13, Cydney Finberg 3-8 3-5 9, Andrea Getts 0-3 0-0 0, Winter Kemppainen 1-6 0-4 2, Miranda Livingston 0-2 0-0 0, Kiara Brulage 1-1 0-0 2, Haley Belgarde 5-8 0-0 10. Totals: 14-40 8-16.
Hamilton (19-3) — McKayl Rothie 0-2 0-0 0, Taylor Goligoski 4-6 5-10 14, Ellie Hurlbert 2-2 0-0 4, Jaylee Albert 5-9 7-8 21, Brianna Huggans 0-2 1-4 1, Sami Kratofil 0-4 4-5 4. Totals: 11-25 17-27.
Total fouls – Columbia Falls 20, Hamilton 22. Fouled out – Huggans. Three pointers – Columbia Falls 3-10 (S. Burlage 0-1, Ciera Finberg 3-7, Cydney Finberg 0-2); Hamilton 5-12 (Rothie 0-2, Goligoski 1-2, Albert 4-6, Huggans 0-2). Rebounds – Columbia Falls 26 (Belgarde 7); Hamilton 25 (Goligoski 4, Kratofil 4). Assists – Columbia Falls 10 (Cydney Finberg 5); Hamilton 8 (Rothie 3). Turnovers – Columbia Falls 12 (Ciera Finberg 3, Cydney Finberg 3); Hamilton 18 (Albert 6). Steals – Columbia Falls 8 (Kemppainen 3, Belgarde 3); Hamilton 8 (Albert 5). Technical fouls – Columbia Falls Bench.
Havre 43, Laurel 28
Laurel 8 4 5 11 — 28
Havre 14 5 7 17 — 43
Laurel (NA) — Lexi Lewis 1-3 0-2 2, Allie McGrath 4-13 8-10 18, Taylor Ludwig 1-1 0-0 2, Dalayna Christenson 1-5 0-0 2, Paige Hodges 0-2 0-0 0, Abbie Lohof 1-4 2-2 4. Totals: 8-28 10-14 28.
Havre (16-6) — Brandy Lambourne 5-8 5-8 19, Dani Wagner 1-1 0-0 2, Morgan Mazurkiewicz 3-5 7-9 14, Lacey Waid 1-6 0-2 2, Peyton Filius 1-6 1-2 4, Haley Ohm 1-2 0-0 2. Totals: 12-28 13-21 43.
Total fouls -- LAU 18, HAV 12. Fouled out -- none. Technical fouls -- none. 3-point goals -- LAU 2-7 (McGrath 2), HAV 6-13 (Lambourne 4, M. Mazurkiewicz, Filius). Rebounds -- LAU 26 (Christenson 7), HAV 17 (Waid 3, Filius 3). Assists -- LAU 4 (Lewis 2, Ludwig 2), HAV 11 (Filius 3, M. Mazurkiewicz 3). Turnovers -- LAU 15, HAV 6. Steals -- LAU 1 (McGrath), HAV 2 (Waid, Filius). Blocked shots -- none.
Loser-out games
Miles City 59, Belgrade 46
Miles City 12 13 15 19 — 59
Belgrade 15 12 10 9 — 46
Miles City (13-10) — Tori Swope 0-4 2-2 2, Makena Ellingson 2-3 0-0 4, Beth Sutter 6-11 7-10 19, Ashlie Larson 6-15 10-11 23, Shaylee Singleton 0-6 3-4 3, Halie Warren 0-2 1-2 1, Jenna Swope 0-1 0-0 0, Kadie Heinle 1-4 1-2 3, Amy Blaquiere 0-1 4-4 4. Totals: 15-47 28-35.
Belgrade (9-15) — Kindall Bethke 0-1 0-0 0, Sadie Reddick 2-7 0-2 4, Alexis Clingingsmith 4-14 2-4 12, Madison Page 2-6 1-2 5, Erin Singleton 6-17 2-2 15, Tanna Holliday 2-5 2-3 6, Shaylee Ragar 1-4 0-0 2, Jamie Woolman 1-2 0-2 2. Totals: 18-56 7-15.
Total fouls: Miles City 16, Belgrade 22. Fouled out: none. 3-pointers: Miles City 1-11 (Larson 1-5), Belgrade 3-17 (Clingingsmith 2-8, Singleton 1-7). Rebounds: Miles City 35 (T. Swope 8), Belgrade 34 (Reddick 10). Assists: Miles City 11 (T. Swope 3), Belgrade 12 (Clingingsmith 3). Steals: Miles City 11 (T. Swope 4), Belgrade 4 (Holliday 2). Turnovers: Miles City 11, Belgrade 16.
Frenchtown 65, Anaconda 52
Frenchtown 19 11 15 20 — 65
Anaconda 11 21 12 8 — 52
Frenchtown (16-7) — Haley Cyr 0-6 0-0 0, Vanessa Stavish 5-19 6-8 16, Kayla Blood 2-3 2-2 6, Alli Moe 1-1 0-0 2, Brooke Yarnall 2-6 5-5 10, Keegan Wickman 0-5 0-0 0, Lacey Hochhalter 11-15 9-10 31. Totals: 21-55 22-25.
Anaconda (NA) — Taylor Flynn 3-9 1-2 8, Lacee Moodry 0-8 2-2 2, Kiernan Gallagher 2-6 0-0 5, Courtney Moodry 8-23 5-8 23, Molly Huber 2-10 0-0 4, Randee Jo Johnson 0-1 0-0 0, Khali Knadler 3-3 1-2 7, Tyler Baustadt 0-3 0-0 0, Shea Forsberg 0-2 0-0 0, Kristy Hayden 1-2 0-0 3. Totals: 19-67 9-14.
Total fouls: Frenchtown 15, Anaconda 23. Fouled out: none. 3-point goals: Frenchtown 1-7 (Yarnall 1-1), Anaconda 5-23 (Flynn 1-2, Gallagher 1-1, Moodry 2-10, Hayden 1-2). Rebounds: Frenchtown 51 (Stavish 16, Hochhalter 11), Anaconda 31 (Forsberg 7). Assists: Frenchtown 11 (Stavish 4), Anaconda 14 (C. Moodry 4). Steals: Frenchtown 5 (Blood 3), Anaconda 9 (L. Moodry 3). Turnovers: Frenchtown 18, Anaconda 9.
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