The puzzle for Missoula Hellgate was what to do to win a physical defensive battle with the brawny Glacier Wolfpack, who forged a 27-21 lead early in the third quarter of their basketball game Tuesday at the Wolf Den.

The answer, oddly enough, was to play more defense: The Knights outscored the Pack 23-9 from there to take the Western AA boys basketball battle, 44-36. 

Glacier, as it has many times this season, played tight man-to-man defense and gave itself a puncher’s shot. Trouble is Hellgate is more used to pulling these things out: The Knights improved to 9-3, 6-2 in Western AA games. 

“We’re giving ourselves a chance,” second-year Glacier coach Evan Epperly said after his team fell to 4-9, 1-7 in league. “Once we get it close it’s a matter of just doing the things that got us there in the first place and not trying to change the way we play. We’re a young team and we’re just going to keep growing in those situations.” 

Hellgate started the game with a dunk from Zane Gillhouse, but before the game was four minutes old the 6-foot-5 senior had his second foul. He came out, and Hellgate coach Jeff Hays switched the Knights into a 3-2 zone. 

Glacier’s Cooper Pelc hit a 3-pointer with 45 seconds left in the first half to give his team a 24-21 lead, and it grew to 27-21 when Ethan Kastelitz hit a three to open the second half. 

No one scored for almost five minutes before Hellgate got a steal from Sam Cohea, which led to a Gillhouse layup. Hays said an adjustment to the Knights’ 3-2 made the difference. 

“And then they had a hard time scoring after that,” he said. “They also missed some really good opportunities. Their posts sealed one or two times, they airmailed a couple passes. And I think our size just bothered them.  

“Like anyone, they missed one or two shots and didn’t have the same confidence they had the first half.” 

Gillhouse scored 10 points after halftime and finished with 17; he also had six rebounds. Evan Pyron added five points and nine boards for the Knights, who ruled the glass 16-8 in the second half. 

When Hellgate got in front with a 10-0 surge, capped by a Gillhouse bucket that made it 31-27, Epperly switched the Pack into some zone as well. It had an effect, but Pyron had a basket at the end of a possession extended by a pair of offensive rebounds to keep his team in front 40-33 with 1:10 left,  

“They’re a big team and they’re a physical team,” Epperly said of the Knights. “I thought our man defense was really good all night. They were starting to get some baskets inside, ran some nice set plays. And we did force a couple turnovers when we went to it, but that’s the thing about them – if you give them the same look, Coach Hays and their kids are going to make the right adjustments, usually.”
Carter Knopik led the Pack with 13 points. He hit two 3-pointers and made five steals, but Glacier had a hard time cashing them in. 

The Wolfpack next travels to Butte, to face the Bulldogs inside the Civic Center on Friday. Hellgate plays host to Flathead Thursday. 

Hellgate    10    11    10    13    -    44 

Glacier    10    14    5    7    -    36 

MISSOULA HELLGATE — Evan Pyron 2-6 1-2 5, Liam Dick 1-6 0-09 3, Zane Gillhouse 8-12 0-0 17, Sam Cohea 0-2 2-4 2, Spencer Wayland 3-8 0-0 7, Parker Link 1-2 4-4 7, Vince Paffhausen 0-3 0-0 0, TJ Klinkiewicz 1-1 0-90 3, Will Petrino 0-0 0-0 0. 

GLACIER — Cooper Pelc 4-8 1-2 10, Ethan Kastelitz 3-7 0-0 0, Blake Pittman 0-0 0-0 0, Asher Knopik 1-6 1-2 3, Carter Knopik 3-6 5-6 13, Dylan Banzet 0-2 0-0 , Talis Pitts 1-1 0-0 2, Tate Kahler 0-2 0-0 0, Hudson Kastelitz 0-4 0-0 0. Totals 12-36 7-10 36. 

3-point goals — Hellgate 5-15 (Link 1-1, Klinkiewicz 1-1, Wayland 1-3, Gillhouse 1-3, Dick 1-2), Glacier 5-14 (C. Knopik 2-2, E.Kastelitz 2-6, Pelc 1-3. Rebounds — Hellgate 29 (Pyron 9), Glacier 20 (Pelc 5). Steals — Hellgate 6 (Cohea 2, Paffhausen 2), Glacier 7 (C.Knopik 5). Turnovers — Hellgate 11, Glacier 12. Fouls — Hellgate 13, Glacier 11. 

    Glacier's Cooper Pelc (1) draws a foul driving to the basket in the first half against Missoula Hellgate at Glacier High School on Tuesday, Feb. 3. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
 Casey Kreider   

    Glacier's Ethan Kastelitz (2) drives to the basket in the first half against Missoula Hellgate at Glacier High School on Tuesday, Feb. 3. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
 Casey Kreider   

    Glacier's Dylan Banzet (40) shoots in the second half against Missoula Hellgate at Glacier High School on Tuesday, Feb. 3. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
 Casey Kreider   

    Glacier's Asher Knopik (41) goes to the basket in the second half against Missoula Hellgate at Glacier High School on Tuesday, Feb. 3. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
 Casey Kreider   

    Glacier's Cooper Pelc (1) shoots a jumper in the second half against Missoula Hellgate at Glacier High School on Tuesday, Feb. 3. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
 Casey Kreider   

    Glacier's Dylan Banzet (40) shoots in the second half against Missoula Hellgate at Glacier High School on Tuesday, Feb. 3. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
 Casey Kreider   

    Glacier's Cooper Pelc (1) shoots in the first half against Missoula Hellgate at Glacier High School on Tuesday, Feb. 3. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
 Casey Kreider