The final score might have put a damper on the Flathead Bravettes’ Senior Night, but Sam Tudor found plenty to like about his team’s 45-28 loss to Missoula Hellgate.

Ivy Gannon’s forays into the key were one. A defense that didn’t allow a 3-pointer was another.

“I was extremely proud of our girls' effort,” Flathead’s second-year coach said Thursday.

“We did some different wrinkles and they actually looked pretty good. It’s just stuff we need to keep working on, and they bought into everything that I asked them to do, and executed to the best of their ability.

“I felt we played a very hard game tonight. That for me was fun to watch.”

Flathead threw some pressure and a halfcourt 1-3-1 zone defense at the powerful Knights (16-1 overall, 12-1 in the Western AA), with mixed results. The 3-point arc was covered, but 6-foot-5 junior Alex Covill found open shots against both pressure and that half-court look.

She hit her first six shots — four of them in a 15-4 spurt that put the Knights up 23-11 at 5:55 of the second quarter — and finished with 17 points.

Where she left off senior Bailee Sayler picked it up with 13 points, including a put-back early in the third quarter that made it 34-19. Sayler also grabbed 12 boards.

At the other end Covill blocked eight shots pushing Flathead’s shooting percentage under 25 percent (9-for-37). The Bravettes remained aggressive, sending Akilah Kubi and Kennedy Moore (and Gannon) in against the taller timber.

“That was kind of the idea — we wanted to go at her,” Tudor said. “Alex is a good player. I think games like that make players like Kennedy and Akilah better players. They got better every time down the court. There were some really good things to take away from that game.”

Moore and Clare Converse scored seven points each to lead Flathead (14-4, 10-4 in league). Moore blocked a shot; Converse hit the game’s only three. Both had five rebounds.

Flathead played much better this time around against a team that beat them 58-22 in January.

“Mid-range killed us tonight,” said Tudor, referring to Sayler’s shooting. “Mid-range and the fast breaks to the big girl were pretty much our demise.

“We have to regroup now and get ready for the tournament. It’s that simple.”

Helena Capital (12-5, 9-4 in league) has a game at Butte on Saturday, so could catch Flathead in the standings. The Bravettes’ next action is at the Western AA Divisional next Thursday at Helena High.

Hellgate 17 12 8 8 - 45

Flathead 9 9 5 5 - 28

MISSOULA HELLGATE — Bailee Sayler 6-14 1-1 13, Keke Davis 1-3 2-4 4, Alex Covill 8-12 1-1 17, Addy Heaphy 1-3 0-0 2, Lauren Dick 2-4 1-2 5, Chloe Larsen 0-2 0-0 0, Elly Thorpe 0-2 0-0 0, Perry Paffhausen 2-3 0-0 4. Totals 20-43 5-8 45.

FLATHEAD — Clare Converse 3-7 0-2 7, Kennedy Moore 1-9 5-6 7, Akliah Kubi 1-5 2-4 4, Avery Chouinard 1-5 0-0 2, Maddy Moy 1-8 0-0 2, Tali Miller 0-1 0-0 0, Olivia Pate 0-0 0-0 0, Ivy Gannon 2-2 2-8 6. Totals 9-37 9-20 28.

3-point goals — Hellgate 0-7 (Sayler 0-3, Heaphy 0-2, Davis 0-1, Larson 0-1), Flathead 1-12 (Converse 1-2, Moore 0-2, Chouinard 0-3, Moy 0-3). Rebounds — Hellgate 35 (Sayler 12, Covill 7, Dick 7), Flathead 27 (Converse 5, Moore 5, Chouinard 5). Fouls — Hellgate 16, Flathead 10. Fouled out — Kubi. Steals — Hellgate 6 (Davis 2, Paffhausen 2), Flathead 9 (Kubi 3). Blocked shots — Hellgate 9 (Covill 8, Sayler), Flathead 1 (Moore). Turnovers — Hellgate 11, Flathead 10.