It looked like a runaway early, but Glacier made it a battle.

In the end Missoula Hellgate escaped the Wolf Den with a 56-52 boys basketball victory over the Wolfpack Thursday evening, powered by 14 points from Zane Gillhouse. 

“Hellgate’s a good team, very well-coached, and they just made a few more plays than us tonight,” Glacier coach Evan Epperly said. “I’m proud of our kids for battling back and giving themselves a chance there at the end.” 

Chance McNulty added 11 points for Hellgate (8-3 overall, 4-2 in Western AA games), Easton Sant and Evan Pyron had nine each. 

Asher Knopik led the way with 14 points for the Wolfpack, who fell to 2-8 on the season and 1-5 in conference. Cooper Pelc tallied 12 and Liam Ells finished with 10. 

McNulty delivered a dagger with 40 seconds left as he knocked down a turnaround jumper from the foul line at the shot clock buzzer to extend Hellgate’s lead to 54-47. 

Ells banked a three home with six seconds left to give the Wolfpack life with the score 55-52, but Gillhouse knocked down 1-of-2 from the line and Pelc’s triple at the buzzer was no good as Hellgate held on. 

In the first quarter Hellgate jumped on the Wolfpack, taking an 8-3 lead after the first four minutes. 

After a Pelc 3-pointer, the Knights extended the lead to 19-6 thanks to an 11-0 run spearheaded by six straight points for Gillhouse.  

“We had a slow start to the game,” Epperly said. “They got on us in that first quarter and we dug ourselves a hole. It's hard to beat a team like Hellgate if you have a first quarter like that.” 

Glacier found their rhythm in the second quarter, as an extended 10-2 spurt cut the lead to 24-18 with a minute to go in the half. Hellgate pushed their advantage back to double digits at the break though, thanks to a Gillhouse triple and a Sant basket just before the horn. 

“Offensively, we played with more control (in the second quarter) and didn’t get sped up as much,” Epperly said. “We tried changing defenses, against them it’s hard to sit in one defense for so long, because they are so experienced. They will figure it out.” 

Out of the break the Wolfpack again found their footing, with Pelc knocking down another 3-pointer to cut Hellgate’s lead to 31-29 and forcing a Knight timeout. 

Two possessions later, Knopik gave Glacier its first lead of the evening on a triple 32-31. The Wolfpack grabbed their largest lead when Ethan Kastelitz hit from behind the arc to make it 37-34. They led 37-36 after three quarters. 

After the teams traded the lead for the first minute of the final frame, Hellgate seized control. McNulty grew the lead out to 50-43 with a 3-pointer to cap off an 11-4 run. 

Glacier is back at home Saturday as the Wolfpack host Missoula Sentinel, girls play at 1 p.m. with the boys following. 

Hellgate    19    10    7    20    -    56 

Glacier    6    12    19    15    -    52 

MISSOULA HELLGATE — Easton Sant 4 1-1 9, Parker Link 0 2-2 2, Vince Paffhausen 0 0-0 0, Jacob Finch 1 0-0 2, Sam Cohea 0 0-0 0, Zane Gillhouse 6 1-2 14, Spencer Wayland 4 0-0 9, Chance McNulty 4 1-2 11, Noah Hill 0 0-0 0, Evan Pyron 4 1-1 9. Totals 23 6-8 56 

GLACIER — Cooper Pelc 4 2-3 12, Liam Ells 4 1-2 10, Ethan Kastelitz 1 0-0 3, Easton Kauffman 0 0-0 0, Asher Knopik 6 1-3 14, Luke Nikunen 1 0-0 2, Slate Burrington 2 5-6 9, Dylan Banzet 1 0-0 2, Ben Winters 0 0-0 0. 19 9-14 52. 

3-point goals — Hellgate 4 (McNulty 2, Wayland, Gillhouse), Glacier 5 (Pelc 2, Ells, Kastelitz, Knopik). Fouls — Hellgate 15, Glacier 11. Fouled out — none. 

    Glacier's Luke Nikunen (12) drives to the basket in the first half against Missoula Hellgate at Glacier High School on Thursday, Jan. 30. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
 Casey Kreider   

    Glacier's Liam Ells (2) draws a blocking foul en route to the hoop in the first quarter against Missoula Hellgate at Glacier High School on Thursday, Jan. 30. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
 Casey Kreider   

    Glacier's Asher Knopik (11) shoots in the first half against Missoula Hellgate at Glacier High School on Thursday, Jan. 30. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
 Casey Kreider   

    Glacier's Slate Burrington (21) goes to the basket in the first half against Missoula Hellgate at Glacier High School on Thursday, Jan. 30. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
 Casey Kreider   

    Glacier's Cooper Pelc (1) shoots in the third quarter against Missoula Hellgate at Glacier High School on Thursday, Jan. 30. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
 Casey Kreider