The Shelby Tournament last week was all about learning for the Thompson Falls Blue Hawk boys. Learning to take some lumps as well as how to dish some out, coach Jake Mickelson’s young Hawks fell 72-21 to powerful Malta Friday before bouncing back to beat host Shelby 71-65 Saturday.

Now 1-1 in non-conference play, the Hawks complete the 2025 portion of their schedule in another non-conference game Friday, hosting Anaconda at TFHS.

Mickelson was upbeat with what his Hawks gave him last week in their maiden voyage together as a team after losing almost everybody off last year’s District 7B championship, State B tournament qualifying team.

“We learned a lot about ourselves in Shelby but still have lots to learn,” Mickelson said. “It was pretty humbling getting bopped on the head like we did by Malta but I was impressed with how we bounced back against Shelby.”

Mickelson said it took a while for the Hawks to get going in that game with Shelby, which they trailed 35-24 at halftime and still trailed 42-26 by midway through the third quarter.

Mickelson said Kellen LeCoure keyed the turnaround and the rest of the Hawks then joined in. “Kellen did some of the things we have grown to expect Kellen to do,” Mickelson said. "He started making some plays on both ends, and then everyone started getting in on the fun.”

Indeed, the Hawks outscored the Coyotes 47-31 in the second half, including a 28-point explosion in the fourth quarter to come back and win going away.

LeCoure finished his fine game with 20 points, six rebounds, seven assists, five steals and a blocked shot to lead the Hawk win, Ethan Burgess was good for 13 points, three boards, two assists and four steals, Alex Newman 12 points, seven rebounds, an assist and two steals, Tristan Kelly 10 points, a rebound, an assist and three steals, Jacob Howell four points, Brylon VanElswyk three points and Justin Myers two.

Marshall Richman scored a game-high 22 points for Shelby and Tyler Weber added 13.

Clearly representing a youth movement of sorts for the Hawks, freshmen Newman and Kelly are seeing significant minutes with the varsity. Mickelson said he plans to get them as many minutes as he can each night to aid in their development.

“They are getting their high school legs underneath them, getting better every time they play,” Mickelson siad. “In fact we have a bunch of eager kids, this should be a fun season.”

Burgess scored seven points and cleared seven boards to lead the Hawks in the loss against Malta Friday. Landin Baird added four points and three rebounds, Myers and Newman three points each, and LeCoure and Blake Shusterman two points apiece.