New squads, but high hopes for Glacier basketball

The Glacier boys are ready to get in basketball shape. 

With the football program making another late run in the season, second year Wolfpack coach Evan Epperly and the boys basketball staff need to work quickly to make sure his squad is ready for the season. 

“Basketball shape is just different,” Epperly said. “You can play as much football or whatever other sport you want, but until you get in the gym and are getting live reps on the floor, that's really the only way to get into basketball shape.” 

Epperly adds that it is mostly business as usual as he begins his second year as the head man for Glacier, but that they are making some coaching changes to help improve the squad from year-to-year. 

The Wolfpack saw a lot of turnover from last year’s squad that finished 4-15 as seven seniors graduated — including the team’s second leading scorer, Liam Ells. 

Back is senior Asher Knopik, who led the Wolfpack with nine points per game last winter. Joining him as a senior leader is Ethan Kastelitz. 

Juniors Cooper Pelc and Dylan Banzet also step into leadership roles for this year’s Wolfpack. 

“There are some young kids who have taken that next step and we believe are going to be quality varsity basketball players,” Epperly said. 

Fitting the bill are sophomore Carter Knopik — brother of Asher — and freshman Hudson Kastelitz, brother of Ethan Kastelitz. 

Regardless of who takes the court, it's a quick turnaround for the Wolfpack who start their season Friday; there wasn’t much time for rest following the State AA championship on Nov. 21. 

Glacier girls finding identity 

It’s looking to be another tight rotation for the Wolfpack girls, at least early in the season. 

After graduating two players and seeing three more specialize in different sports, coach Amanda Cram has a tight squad of varsity girls as Glacier prepares to start play Friday. 

Along with the departures, seniors Cassidy and Cadence Daniels are still recovering from knee injuries suffered last year and are not available at the start of the season. Cram hopes they will be cleared for games in time for conference play, if not before. 

“We were in scramble mode for a minute, but I have 10 on the varsity squad,” Cram said. “Still waiting for the Daniels twins to return, but once they return I will have a full nine that I can go to during the season.” 

Brynn Hanson makes 10 for the Wolfpack, but the senior will miss the season after suffering a torn ACL during flag football season. 

Cram spotlighted Karley Allen as the leader for her squad this winter. A four-year starter, Allen averaged 9.3 points per game last year and helped the Wolfpack to a 9-11 record that ended with a loss to Helena in a Western AA divisional play-in game. 

“Not only her basketball skills, but her leadership has been phenomenal,” Cram said. “I could not ask for anything else from her, so she is definitely standing out.” 

She also highlighted junior Olivia Warriner as someone who has stood out in practice. 

“Olivia is a quiet leader, but a tenacious player whom I look to be a steady force on the court,” Cram said. 

Cram notes that outside of the core four players on the roster, no one else has much varsity experience. 

“We are very small, we lost all our height and so it changed our gameplan quite a bit, but the girls have adapted so well to it,” Cram said. 

With four games coming before the winter break, Cram wants the team to keep improving on what the coaching staff has implemented. 

“I’m just really looking for them to execute what we have done, compete with their full hearts, and then trust the process that we are going to get better every single week,” she said.  

The Wolfpack girls get the season started at home Friday at 7 p.m. against Great Falls CMR before hosting Great Falls High Saturday at 1 p.m. The boys make the trip to Great Falls with a 7 p.m. tip at CMR Friday and a 2 p.m. start against Great Falls Saturday.