Chouinard, Bravettes win Western AA at buzzer

FRITZ NEIGHBOR | Hagadone News Network | UPDATED 3 years, 2 months AGO

The Bravettes celebrate after Avery Chouinard's (13) game-winning three-pointer as time expired against Missoula Hellgate in the Western AA Divisional Championship at Flathead High School on Saturday, March 4. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)

Flathead's Kennedy Moore (14) shoots a three in the first half against Missoula Hellgate in the Western AA Divisional Championship at Flathead High School on Saturday, March 4. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)

Flathead's Akilah Kubi (12) looks to shoot in the second half against Missoula Hellgate in the the Western AA Divisional Championship at Flathead High School on Saturday, March 4. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)

The Flathead Bravettes pose with the Divisional championship trophy after their win over Missoula Hellgate on Saturday, March 4. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)

Flathead's Kennedy Moore (14) shoots in the lane in the fourth quarter against Missoula Hellgate in the Western AA Divisional Championship at Flathead High School on Saturday, March 4. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)

Flathead's Maddy Moy (5) drives to the basket in the first half against Missoula Hellgate in the Western AA Divisional Championship at Flathead High School on Saturday, March 4. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)

Flathead's Avery Chouinard knocks down a three in the first half half against Missoula Hellgate in the Western AA Divisional Championship at Flathead High School on Saturday, March 4. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)

Flathead's Celie VandenBosch (23) goes to the basket in the first half against Missoula Hellgate in the Western AA Divisional Championship at Flathead High School on Saturday, March 4. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)

Flathead's Akilah Kubi (12) drives to the basket in the second half against Missoula Hellgate's Alex Covill (33) in the the Western AA Divisional Championship at Flathead High School on Saturday, March 4. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)

Flathead's Kennedy Moore (14) shoots in the second half against Missoula Hellgate's Chloe Larsen (10) in the the Western AA Divisional Championship at Flathead High School on Saturday, March 4. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)

Flathead's Avery Chouinard (13) drives to the basket in the second half against Missoula Hellgate in the the Western AA Divisional Championship at Flathead High School on Saturday, March 4. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)

Flathead's Maddy Moy (5) sinks a three in the second half against Missoula Hellgate's Chloe Larsen (10) in the the Western AA Divisional Championship at Flathead High School on Saturday, March 4. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)

The Flathead Bravettes’ won a landmark Western AA title Saturday, on a buzzer-beating shot by Avery Chouinard that didn’t look good when it hit the rim.

But then it hit the rim again. And again.

When the 3-pointer fell in, the Bravettes’ vocal student section rushed the court in delirium. They were celebrating the program’s first divisional title since its 2000-01 state championship season.

Bravettes 46, Missoula Hellgate Knights 45.

Let’s back up: Hellgate (15-6) led 45-43 and had possession with 24.9 seconds left, on two nifty Euro-step drives by Chloe Larsen. Then the Knights committed their 16th turnover, a long inbounds pass that Chouinard knocked away and into the hands of Celie VandenBosch.

Flathead coach Sam Tudor called time with 7.4 seconds left.

The final play included Akilah Kubi looking to either wing for what seemed forever. Finally she found Chouinard out on top.

“The plan was to have Kennedy (Moore) or Maddy (Moy) shoot it,” said Chouinard, who had eight points. “We’d pass the ball in and then kick it out. But I was looking at the scoreboard and said, ‘I have got to shoot this.’”

“I didn’t say pass it to the wing and pass it around and wait until the last second and just throw up a half-court shot,” Flathead coach Sam Tudor said, smiling. “That’s not what I wanted to run out there. But what about Avery Chouinard? What a great game by her.”

Chouinard’s shot marked the eighth lead change of the second half; Hellgate, which lost on a last-second put-back by Kennedy Moore the last time it visited the Flathead gym, trailed 20-9 early but cut that gap to 22-21 by halftime.

Flathead (17-4) spent the game trying to go at Hellgate’s 6-foot-6 Alex Covill, with varying success. She eventually fouled out with 3:10 left and Flathead up 41-40, but that’s when Larsen took over.

“She is so good,” Tudor said of Larsen, who had 13 points and eight rebounds. “I think a lot of respect was found for our girls, because we were trying like heck to contain her.

“One of the big dynamics was Kennedy being able to hang with Covill. Because she’s that good. I was really impressed with her.”

The 6-2 Moore had 13 points, eight rebounds and four blocks; Covill finished at 16, 10 and 2.

Moy added 12 points, hitting two 3-pointers — her second put Flathead up 37-31 early in the fourth quarter.

“And of course Maddy Moy,” Tudor said. “I told her, ‘You just get the ball and shoot it.’ We know what she can do and I think she’s finding her feet right now, at the best time.”

The Bravettes next head to the State AA tournament beginning Thursday at the Butte Civic Center. They all pitched in to get past Hellgate Saturday, including Chouinard.

“I was just hoping,” she said. “I was determined to shoot it, and was just hoping it would go in.

“I’m still shaking.”

Hellgate 5 16 10 14 - 45

Flathead 11 11 12 12 - 46

HELLGATE — Chloe Larson 6-10 1-2 13, Alex Covill 6-11 4-6 16, Alix Mund 4-8 1-2 9, Carmen Anderson 0-4 0-0 0, Maddy Petrino 0-0 0-0 0, Shannon Kane 0-1 0-0 0, Elly Reed 3-6 0-0 7. Totals 19-40 6-10 45.

FLATHEAD — Maddy Moy 5-11 0-0 12, Akilah Kubi 2-11 1-2 5, Kennedy Moore 5-15 4-5 13, Avery Chouinard 3-12 0-0 8, Tali Miller 0-1 0-2 0, Celie VandenBosch 1-3 6-6 8, Sami Dalager 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 15-53 11-15 46.

3-point goals — Hellgate 1-8 (Reed 1-3, Kane 0-1, Covill 0-1, Larsen 0-1, Anderson 0-2), Flathead 5-18 (Moy 2-4, Chouinard 2-8, Moore 1-5, VandenBosch 0-1). Rebounds — Hellgate 29 (Covill 10), Flathead 25 (Moore 8). Blocks — Hellgate 3 (Covill 2, Petrino), Flathead 4 (Moore 4). Steals — Hellgate 4 (Reed 2), Flathead 10 (Moore 3). Turnovers Hellgate 16, Flathead 9.

The Flathead Bravettes pose with the Divisional championship trophy after their win over Missoula Hellgate on Saturday, March 4. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)