The Bravettes started strong, but the Bison finished stronger.

Mia Cerna scored 12 points, including eight in the final quarter and Great Falls overcame a 14-point second half deficit to down Flathead 42-39 in AA girls basketball Friday in the Boyle Gym at Flathead High School. 

Flathead (0-1) had two chances to send the game to overtime as Grace Gall’s 3-pointer rattled off the rim, but a travel from Great Falls (1-0) gave the Bravettes 3.1 seconds to put up another shot. 

Reese Rosenberg had a good look from the top of the key, but it rimmed out and the Bison escaped with the victory.  

“We had some really good rotations defensively,” Bravettes coach Kaylee Fox said. “I think down the stretch we got a little bit tired, our legs got a little bit tired, and we lost a couple people in our half-court defense.” 

Kendall Gonser added 11 points for Great Falls, eight of those coming in the second half. 

Freshman Brynn Kossman led the Bravettes with 10 points. Kossman joins Flathead as a transfer from Eureka; she featured prominently for the Lions a season ago as an eighth-grader. 

Kossman knocked down a pair of free throws early in the third quarter to put Flathead up 27-13, but then Bravettes junior Caitlin Converse left the game with a quad injury and Great Falls seized control. Converse had nine points in the game. 

“Caitlin not only is a great ballhandler, but she’s also a leader for us, so just not having her voice on the court was an impact,” Fox said. 

Fox was unsure if Converse will play in Saturday’s game against CMR. Tip-off is set for 2 p.m. in the Boyle Gym. 

A 15-1 Bison run tied things at 28 late in the third quarter. Gall knocked down a shot to restore Flathead’s lead just before the buzzer, 30-28. The sophomore forward ended with nine points. 

“Down the stretch, I think we just had a few possessions where we rushed shots,” Fox said. “They were pressing us, sped us up a little bit, we would like to have those possessions back and have better opportunities to run the clock a little bit.” 

Early in the fourth Cerna hit a triple to put the Bison ahead 33-32, their first lead since it was 5-4 midway through the first. 

Gall answered with a triple of her own and Flathead led 35-33. 

Great Falls went on a 6-2 spurt, capped by a Gonser bucket, to lead 41-37. 

Kossman finished inside for Flathead before Cerna added a free throw with 19 seconds left.  

Fox felt that her team showed a lot of promise for the season. 

“I thought there were a lot of really good things that happened tonight,” Fox said. “I thought our girls played really hard and we learned a lot of lessons from playing in this close game and playing a very physical team.” 

Great Falls    7    5    16    14    -    42 

Flathead    14    9    7    9    -    39

GREAT FALLS — Annika Clemons 0 0-0 0, Margaret Schultz 5 0-0 10, Ashley Little 0 0-0 0, Tatum Swingley 0 0-0 0, Scarlet Harris 0 0-0 0, Paetyn Mora 2 2-2 7, Kendall Gonser 3 4-8 11, Harper Dirk 1 0-5 2, Taylee Hodke 0 0-0 0, Mia Cerna 3 4-6 12, Aza Trombley 0 0-0 0. Totals 14 10-21 42. 

FLATHEAD — Reese Rosenberg 1 0-0 2, Makenna Aldrich 1 0-2 2, Teagan Flint 0 0-0 0, Gracie Mae Kilmer 0 0-0 0, Tayler Greene 1 1-5 3, Caitlin Converse 3 2-2 9, Cheyenne Heino 0 0-0 0, Grace Gall 3 2-8 9, Makenna Korf 1 0-0 2, Lexi Herion 1 0-0 2, Brynn Kossman 2 6-6 10. Totals 13 11-23 39. 

3-point goals — Great Falls 3 (Cerna 2, Mora, Gosmer). Flathead 2 (Gall, Converse). Fouls — Great Falls 21, Flathead 19. Fouled out — Harris, Aldrich.