Capital Bruins squeeze past Bravettes

HELENA — The Helena Capital Bruins didn’t shoot well from the line Saturday, but they hit enough free throws to pick up a 50-49 Western AA girls basketball win over Flathead.

Eva Dahlquist’s free throw with 2:55 left broke a 46-46 tie, and the Bruins hit just enough freebies from there — 3 of 10 — to hold on. 

Flathead built leads of 24-16 and 36-31 in the first half and led 44-37 after Grace Gall’s 3-pointer at 2:11 of the third quarter. Then the Bravettes went cold, not getting another field goal until Sami Dalager scored at the final buzzer. 

Dahlquist had 16 points to lead the Bruins (8-9 overall, 5-7 in Western AA games). Ava Malmin had a game-high 17 for Flathead, (2-15, 1-11) including five 3-pointers. 

Flathead    18    18    10    3    -    49 

Capital    13    18    10    9    -    50 

FLATHEAD — Mattie Thompson 3 2-2 8, Grace Gall 2 2-4 7, Sami Dalager 2 1-2 5, Ava Malmin 5 2-2 17, Caitlin Converse 5 0-0 12, Taylor Greene 0 0-0 0. Totals 17 7-10 49. 

HELENA CAPITAL — Eva Dahlquist 4 5-12 16, Ali Miller 2 4-4 8, Madi Emmert 5 1-4 11, Kate Drynan 1 1-4 3, Taylor Zanto 0 0-0 0, Cailin Mohar 3 2-2 8, Greta Hageman 0 0-0 0, Kodee Cummings 1 0-0 2, Chloe LaFromboise 1 0-0 2, Jaci Lyman 0 0-0 0, Jaiden Grooms 0 0-0 0. Totals 17 13-26 50.  

3-point goals — Flathead 8 (Malmin 5, Converse 2), Capital 3 (Dahlquist 3). Fouls — Flathead xx, Capital 15.