On a historic night in Linderman Gym, the Polson Pirates took on the Hamilton Broncs. It was a mixed result at home, where the girls were willed to victory by junior Rylee Taylor-Jefferson on a night where she notched her 500th career point.

“ The momentum is gonna be great just coming off this win,” Taylor-Jefferson said. “I think that if we remember team bonding and knowing that we have to go through this whole season together, and just playing together, then that's what's gonna get us through this season.”

The Lady Pirates won 52-44 in their first home game of the season, while the Pirates dropped their first home game 48-39, making it three straight losses.

Lady Pirates 52, Lady Broncs 44

It was a game of destiny for the Lady Pirates. The first home game of the season against a Lady Broncs team that was desperate for a win, after dropping its third straight game just two days prior.

For Polson, it looked like a tough matchup from the beginning. Both teams struggled to score early, with Hamilton being effective at eliminating Polson’s opportunities to score.

It was a defensive slugfest that was slowly going the way of the Lady Broncs. Multiple tough layups gave Hamilton the early lead. Even with a Polson score to close out the first quarter, it was Hamilton leading 14-11.

Polson was not going to give in early. Another defensive quarter saw both teams get more physical. Tough misses and physical play under the basket kept both schools from scoring opportunities for most of the quarter.

However, the teams did manage to find some chances through the hard-nosed defense. Both squads managed double-digits in the second quarter, leading to a 24-21 finish in the first half.

In the second half, it was Taylor-Jefferson’s time to take control. The Lady Pirates started strong by converting multiple transition opportunities. Taylor-Jefferson’s combination of speed and poise allowed Polson to take the lead early in the third quarter.

It was also then that Taylor-Jefferson made history as just the 18th Lady Pirate to reach the 500-point mark. As a testament to her skill throughout the quarter, she helped her team take a 32-28 lead going into the fourth.

“ I never really thought I would be here,” Taylor-Jefferson said. “I never have taken the time to like think about points and think about career points. I've always just thought about playing the game. Just to get here, just knowing that like I put in the hard work, and like my love for the game has really paid off. “

Much like the third quarter, Taylor-Jefferson shone and the Lady Pirates never surrendered. Junior Hinkley Moss helped take the second-leading scorer role in the game, while junior guard Aleysia Black helped facilitate the offense.

It was a well-rounded final stint for Polson, giving them the 52-44 win.

 "We had a talk about just playing together and I feel like, in the first half, we were just not all on the same page,” Taylor-Jefferson said. “So, at halftime, we talked about playing together and playing for each other, and honestly, like having that team bond just really brings the win together.”

Taylor-Jefferson ended with a game-leading 23 points, while Moss finished with the second-most points with 13.

Broncs 48, Pirates 39

The boys started the doubleheader against a Hamilton team with just two wins going into the Polson homestand. However, it turned out to be a harder-fought game than anticipated.

Polson started strong with some impressive three-pointers. Junior Kyson Michel led the charge with his sweet shooting. 

“ I just gotta stay consistent and always believe in the shot and just don't hesitate,” Michel said when asked about how he keeps his shooting consistent.

Despite some nice looks under the basket for Hamilton, the Pirates took an early 16-10 lead.

The gap started to shrink in the second quarter as Hamilton’s size and close shot scoring made the difference. Polson still found ways to get up tough shots and continued to shoot well from beyond the arc.

A quarter-ending shot gave Hamilton the momentum going into halftime, but the Pirates led 23-21.

After Polson’s shooting clinic in the first half, it was time for the Broncs to start putting on shots on their end. Hamilton took control from the three-point line, almost stealing the shooting touch that Polson had cultivated in the first half.

The Pirates struggled to score as Hamilton’s defensive pressure improved. The Broncs took a healthy 41-30 lead heading into the fourth quarter.

It was a defensive end to the game, with turnovers defining momentum swings throughout the quarter. Polson closed the gap multiple times but Hamilton always managed to stop the Pirates when it mattered most.

Even with a renewed vigor to start the fourth quarter, Polson was unable to capitalize down the stretch. The Broncs won 48-39.

 ”I'm still confident in our team, even though we lost,” Michel said. “We just have a lot of things to work on still after losing a couple of important seniors last year.”

Michel led the Pirates with 15 points while junior Malakai Curley followed with 12 points as the second-leading scorer.

Both the boys and girls are set to play on Jan. 17, starting at 5:30 p.m., against the Libby Loggers on the road.

    Polson junior Hinkley Moss and Hamilton senior Ashlynn McKern look up for a rebound on Jan. 10 at Linderman Gym in Polson. (Max Dupras/Leader)
  

    Polson senior Holden Emerson guards Hamilton junior Taylor Doleac on Jan. 10 at Linderman Gym in Polson. (Max Dupras/Leader)
  

    Polson sophomore Kyson Michel brings the ball up the court against the Hamilton Broncs at Jan. 20 at Linderman Gym in Polson. (Max Dupras/Leader)