The Flathead Braves and Bravettes started strong Thursday, but neither could pull off a victory as the Big Sky Eagles went home to Missoula with a pair of wins in a Western AA boys and girls basketball doubleheader.

The Braves fought off an early run and stayed within a possession for much of three quarters before Eli Kasberg’s 21 points powered the Eagles to a 61-47 victory in the opening boys game. 

“I think our guys did a great job tonight, especially in the first half,” Flathead coach Dan Trageser said. “We forced a lot of turnovers, had a big run in the first quarter. We dug ourselves a bit of a hole there and fought back.” 

For the Bravettes, the hot start was theirs as Flathead led 18-4 midway through the first and 20-13 after one. Avery DeCoite and Big Sky battled back for a 52-40 victory. 

“I was really proud of how the girls came out and competed to start the game, they had the right mindset and we got off to a hot start,” Bravettes coach Kaylee Fox said. “ We had some really good transition buckets, that is something that we have been trying to work on this year.” 

Big Sky boys 61, Flathead 47 

Kasberg and the Eagles (4-4 overall, 2-2 in Western AA games) jumped ahead with a quick 8-0 spurt powered by two fastbreak lay-ins off Braves turnovers. 

Trageser’s team responded well out of a timeout with a 15-2 run to close out the quarter highlighted by a Lance Schneller basket off a beautiful bounce pass from Ben Reichner that tied the game at 10. 

Schneller led the Braves (1-7, 0-4) with 16 points, while Reichner had 14 while battling a second half shoulder injury. 

“He (Reichner) was in some pain, but that kid is tough man, he is a competitor. He is kind of the heartbeat of our team, so for him to be able to gut that one out says a ton about the type of kid that he is.” Trageser said, adding that he was not sure of the extent of Reichner’s injury. 

Neither side found much separation in the second frame as Brady Williams put the Eagles ahead 27-23, but a Kyler Kossman hoop and a Reichner free throw made it 27-26 Big Sky at the half. 

The Eagles started to seize momentum in the third, growing their advantage to 36-31 on a Williams basket. They led 39-35 after 24 minutes. 

Then Big Sky’s physicality wore the Braves down. Reichner — who took a hard fall late in the third — returned to the game and cut the Braves deficit to 42-39, but Big Sky went on a 12-2 run from there to seize control. 

“Big Sky is a very tough team, they play a style of defense that wears on you and requires you to be physically tough and mentally tough, and I thought our kids hung in there for a majority of the game,” Trageser said. “We got a couple of guys out with injuries, and I think our guys just ran out of gas.” 

Boston Case hit a late three to make it 54-44, but Kasberg hit two free throws and a lay in to seal the victory. 

Big Sky    10    17    12    22    -    61 

Flathead    15    11    9    12    -    47 

MISSOULA BIG SKY — Maron Fines 2 1-2 5, Brady Williams 2 0-1 4, Blake Williams 0 0-0 0, Mason Ramos 1 0-0 2, Bryson Schultz 0 0-0 0, Bo Morrison 1 0-2 2, Eli Kasberg 6 9-12 21, Cole Sil 4 0-0 8, Josiah Boone 3 0-0 7, Jack McGowan 5 0-0 10, Cormack Batt 1 0-0 2. Totals 25 10-17 61. 

FLATHEAD — Sam McConnell 0 0-0 0, Eli Coopman 0 0-2 0, Ben Reichner 3 8-12 14, Lance Schneller 6 3-3 16, Hunter Fann 1 0-0 2, Reece Brotherton 1 0-0 3, Boston Case 1 3-4 6, Kyler Kossman 2 0-1 4, Max Shostak 1 0-0 2. Totals — 15 14-22 47. 

3-point goals — Missoula Big Sky 1 (Boone), Flathead 3 (Schneller, Case, Brotherton). Fouls — Missoula Big Sky 20, Flathead 14. Fouled out — Kossman. 

Big Sky girls 52, Flathead 40 

“We’re going to be tested tonight,” Fox said prior to the game. 

And a test it was for Flathead (0-8, 0-4 in Western AA games), but it was the Bravettes freshmen who got things rolling early as Reese Rosenberg and Lexi Herion knocked down triples while Brynn Kossman had eight points in the paint during an opening 18-4 burst.  

Rosenberg tallied 12 for the Bravettes. 

“They are getting better every game that we play, gaining more experience and obviously they are skilled players who are just learning how to play at the high school speed, but we are excited about all the things that are in their future,” Fox said. 

But DeCoite and the Eagles (7-2, 4-0) responded as the senior’s layup just before the horn cut the deficit to 20-13. 

She added seven more points in the second quarter, though Kossman added another score to give her 10 in the first half. She finished with 15 points. 

Out of the half turnovers plagued Flathead, as Lilly Johnson hit a three to give the Eagles their first lead of the game at 31-30. It was part of a 14-0 run as Big Sky grew its advantage to 42-31 after three quarters. 

“We just got off to a slow start in the third quarter,” Fox said. “We had some turnovers. Had some missed shots and we as a young team need to learn how to play through some of that.” 

DeCoite laid in a fastbreak basket to make it 47-34 and the Eagles sensed the road victory. The Lady Griz recruit had 21 points. 

Both Flathead teams now have a week off as they are back in action Friday, Jan. 23 for the first crosstown matchup of the season at Flathead High School. 

Big Sky    13    11    17    11    -    52 

Flathead    20    8    4    8    -    40 

MISSOULA BIG SKY — Avery DeCoite 8 4-8 21, Lilly Johnson 2 0-0 5, Peyton Reynolds 0 1-2 1, Tonya Kirilovich 3 0-0 6, Mya Hubbard 1 1-2 3, Zoe Boone 1 3-4 5, Keni Schmitz 2 7-8 11. Totals 17 16-24 52. 

FLATHEAD — Reese Rosenberg 5 0-0 12, Makenna Aldrich 2 0-0 4, Teagen Flint 0 0-0 0, Gracie Mae Kilmer 0 0-2 0, Tayler Greene 0 0-0 0, Caitlin Converse 1 2-4 4, Brynn Kossman 4 7-8 15, Grace Gall 1 0-0 2, Lexi Herion 1 0-0 3. Totals 14 9-14 40. 

3-point goals — Missoula Big Sky 2 (DeCoite, Johnson), Flathead 3 (Rosenberg, Herion). Fouls — Missoula Big Sky 14, Flathead 16. Fouled out — none. 

    Flathead's Max Shostak (33) drives to the basket in the first half against Missoula Big Sky at Flathead High School on Thursday, Jan. 15. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
 Casey Kreider   

    Flathead's Ben Reichner (11) shoots in the first half against Missoula Big Sky at Flathead High School on Thursday, Jan. 15. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
 Casey Kreider   

    Flathead's Eli Coopman (4) drives to the basket in the first half against Missoula Big Sky at Flathead High School on Thursday, Jan. 15. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
 Casey Kreider   

    Flathead's Kyler Kossman (34) shoots in the second half against Missoula Big Sky at Flathead High School on Thursday, Jan. 15. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
 Casey Kreider   

    Flathead's Hunter Fann (15) shoots in the second half against Missoula Big Sky at Flathead High School on Thursday, Jan. 15. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
 Casey Kreider   

    Flathead's Reece Brotherton (23) shoots in the first half against Missoula Big Sky at Flathead High School on Thursday, Jan. 15. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
 Casey Kreider   

    Flathead's Lance Schneller (12) looks to shoot in the first half against Missoula Big Sky at Flathead High School on Thursday, Jan. 15. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
 Casey Kreider   

    Flathead's Eli Coopman (4) shoots in the lane in the first half against Missoula Big Sky at Flathead High School on Thursday, Jan. 15. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
 Casey Kreider   

    Flathead's Boston Case (24) drives to the basket in the second half against Missoula Big Sky at Flathead High School on Thursday, Jan. 15. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
 Casey Kreider