The State AA basketball tournaments begin Thursday at Dahlberg Arena on the University of Montana campus, and Kalispell is represented by one upstart squad: The Glacier girls.

The Wolfpack takes a 7-14 record up against an unbeaten Billings Skyview squad that features standout Breanna Williams at 5 p.m. 

The Pack showed what they’re capable of last week, pushing eventual Western AA Divisional champion Missoula Hellgate in a first-round game, then beating Butte and breaking through against Helena Capital.

“I was super pleased,” coach Amanda Cram said. “Disappointed that we fell to Hellgate, but I was most pleased with our response and our resolve with Butte and Capital. Capital is probably our best game of the season, defensively and statistically. We can always get better, but it doesn’t get much better than how we played on Saturday.”

The reward is a matchup with Williams and Co. People probably know that Williams was MVP of the 2022 State AA tournament after leading the Falcons to their first girls’ championship, and that she was Gatorade Player of the Year for Montana last season, and that she signed with the University of Maryland in November.

What some may not realize is that she really does it all: On top of her 26 points and 11.1 rebounds a game, she averages 5.1 assists and 3.4 steals. 

This helps explain how Skyview is 21-0: She creates for her teammates though nobody averages more than 8.6 points a game (Rae Smart).

Reese Ramey continues to lead the Glacier offense at 13.2 ppg. Noah Fincher gives the Pack a nice 1-2 punch at guard, Karley Allen (7.2 ppg) is a top reserve and in her last eight games post player Charlotte Osler is averaging 7.5 points and 5.6 boards.

A year ago Flathead was able to knock off Skyview in the State AA semifinals, partly with a box-and-one aimed at Williams in the second half. Cram has watched that game at least twice.

“They didn’t really lose anybody, and obviously Williams is a challenge,” Cram said. “We certainly are going to challenge her, defensively.

“They’re a fantastic team, there’s a reason they’re undefeated. But why not us, is what we’re saying. The teams that play them from the West side should challenge them defensively and athletically, and that’s what we’re aiming to do.”