In their first game of the Western A Divisional basketball tournament, the Polson Lady Pirates faced off against the Browning Lady Indians. In a contest that saw a sluggish start for the Lady Pirates, Browning came out on top, winning 65-52 on Saturday, March 1.

Browning came out strong, draining seven three-pointers in the first half alone, in stark contrast to Polson’s single triple.

Polson, however, showed resilience in the second half, cutting Browning’s lead in half with a much-improved offensive output. Despite the surge, the deficit was too large, and Polson could not sustain the momentum needed to challenge Browning on their home court.

Key players for Polson included Rylee Taylor-Jefferson, who scored 21 points. Aleysia Black contributed 11 points, while Hinkley Moss added 10.

The Lady Pirates’ defense struggled to contain Browning’s explosive three-point shooting, as they were bombarded with a total of 10 three-pointers from five different players, including three from Shaylee HeavyRunner and Teslin Trombley.

This loss continued Polson’s long-standing struggle against Browning, as the Pirates’ last victory over Browning on their home turf came in 1983. The loss ended the Lady Pirates' season, with Polson bowing out with a 7-13 record.

Polson smacks Whitefish

The Polson Lady Pirates dropped Whitefish 38-29 in the Northwest A Conference play-in game on Thursday, Feb. 27. The Lady Pirates controlled the game from the start, with a 12-6 lead after the first quarter and a 21-10 advantage by halftime.

While Polson’s offense slowed in the second half, their defense held firm, limiting Whitefish to 19 points after halftime, including a mere 2-point fourth quarter.

Polson’s balanced attack featured standout performances from Aleysia Black, who scored nine points, and Rylee Taylor-Jefferson, who also added nine points along with nine assists. Hinkley Moss contributed six points and led the team with nine rebounds.

Whitefish struggled to generate offense, with their leading scorer, Izze Short, managing only six points. Despite their efforts, the Lady Bulldogs’ offense faltered, and they could not mount a sustained comeback, allowing Polson to control the pace and seal the win.

At Polson

POLSON 38, WHITEFISH 29

Whitefish - 6 - 4 - 8 - 11 - 29

Polson - 12 - 9 - 15 - 2 - 38

POLSON SCORING: Aleysia Black 9, Rylee Taylor-Jefferson 9, Ahri Rushing 8, Hinkley Moss 6, Sam Rensvold 4, Josie Henriksen 2.

At Browning

BROWNING 65, POLSON 52

Polson - 3 - 12 - 18 - 19 - 52

Browning - 22 - 20 - 10 - 13 - 65

POLSON SCORING: Rylee Taylor-Jefferson 21, Aleysia Black 11, Hinkley Moss 10, Sam Rensvold 8, Jaja Nichols 2.

Polson's Samantha Rensvold passes to a teammate against a Whitefish defender. (Kaleb Unger/Leader)