Ronan roars in 2nd half
LUKE SCHMIT | Hagadone News Network | UPDATED 3 months AGO
Ronan's Jhett McDonald (3) drives to the basket guarded by Bigfork's Austin Savik (15) in the second half at Bigfork High School on Tuesday, Jan. 20. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
Casey Kreider
Bigfork's Treker Hickey (14) shoots guarded by Ronan's Matiya Nenemay (1) in the first half at Bigfork High School on Tuesday, Jan. 20. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
Casey Kreider
Ronan's Jhett McDonald (3) knocks down a jumper in the second half against Bigfork at Bigfork High School on Tuesday, Jan. 20. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
Casey Kreider
Bigfork's Alex Ochs (20) drives into the lane for a shot in the first half against Ronan at Bigfork High School on Tuesday, Jan. 20. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
Casey Kreider
Bigfork's Alex Ochs (20) drives into the lane for a shot in the first half against Ronan at Bigfork High School on Tuesday, Jan. 20. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
Casey Kreider
Ronan's Matiya Nenemay (1) drives to the basket in the second half against Bigfork at Bigfork High School on Tuesday, Jan. 20. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
Casey Kreider
Bigfork's Austin Savik (15) shoots guarded by Ronan's Tryance Matt (13) in the first half at Bigfork High School on Tuesday, Jan. 20. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
Casey Kreider
Ronan's Siouxpixm Qualtier (2) drives to the basket guarded by Bigfork's Tamret Savik (1) in the second half at Bigfork High School on Tuesday, Jan. 20. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
Casey Kreider
Bigfork's Austin Savik (15) shoots guarded by Ronan's Tryance Matt (13) in the first half at Bigfork High School on Tuesday, Jan. 20. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
Casey Kreider
Bigfork's Treker HIckey (14) drives into the lane for a jumper in the first half against Ronan at Bigfork High School on Tuesday, Jan. 20. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
Casey Kreider
Ronan's Matiya Nenemay (1) knocks down a three guarded by Bigfork's Grady Campbell (3) in the second half against Bigfork at Bigfork High School on Tuesday, Jan. 20. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
Casey Kreider
Bigfork's Austin Savik (15) shoots guarded by Ronan's Tryance Matt (13) in the first half at Bigfork High School on Tuesday, Jan. 20. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
Casey Kreider
Bigfork's Alex Ochs (20) knocks down a three in the first half against Ronan at Bigfork High School on Tuesday, Jan. 20. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
Casey Kreider
Ronan's Jhett McDonald (3) knocks down a three in the second half against Bigfork at Bigfork High School on Tuesday, Jan. 20. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
Casey Kreider
Bigfork's Treker Hickey (14) drives to the basket in the first half against Ronan at Bigfork High School on Tuesday, Jan. 20. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
Casey Kreider
Ronan's Kolby Finley (4) shoots in the second half against Bigfork at Bigfork High School on Tuesday, Jan. 20. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
Casey Kreider
Bigfork's Austin Savik (15) shoots guarded by Ronan's Kolby Finley (4) in the first half at Bigfork High School on Tuesday, Jan. 20. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
Casey Kreider
Ronan's Tryance Matt (13) drives to the basket in the second half against Bigfork at Bigfork High School on Tuesday, Jan. 20. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
Casey Kreider
Bigfork's Austin Savik (15) gets a contested layup to fall in the first half against Ronan at Bigfork High School on Tuesday, Jan. 20. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
Casey Kreider
Ronan's Kolby Finley (4) drives to the basket in the second half against Bigfork at Bigfork High School on Tuesday, Jan. 20. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
Casey Kreider
Bigfork's Tamret Savik (1) drives to the basket in the first half against Ronan at Bigfork High School on Tuesday, Jan. 20. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
Casey Kreider
Ronan's Siouxpixm Qualtier (2) goes to the basket in the second half against Bigfork at Bigfork High School on Tuesday, Jan. 20. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
Casey Kreider
Bigfork's Austin Savik (15) drives to the basket in the first half against Ronan at Bigfork High School on Tuesday, Jan. 20. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
Casey Kreider
Bigfork's Justin Gates (25) goes to the basket in the first half against Ronan at Bigfork High School on Tuesday, Jan. 20. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
Casey Kreider
Bigfork's Lance Peterson (5) saves a rebound from going out of bounds in the first half against Ronan at Bigfork High School on Tuesday, Jan. 20. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
Casey Kreider
Bigfork's Alex Ochs (20) drives to the basket in the first half against Ronan at Bigfork High School on Tuesday, Jan. 20. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
Casey Kreider
Bigfork's Alex Ochs (20) drives to the basket in the first half against Ronan at Bigfork High School on Tuesday, Jan. 20. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
Casey Kreider
Bigfork's Austin Savik (15) shoots guarded by Ronan's Kolby Finley (4) in the first half at Bigfork High School on Tuesday, Jan. 20. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
Casey Kreider
SPORTS REPORTER, KEEPING SCORE AND BIG SKY NOW PODCAST HOST Luke Schmit leads the charge on our local and regional sports podcast shows. His coverage includes regional and college athletics connected to Montana and the broader Big Sky Conference. Schmit reports on major games, athletes, and sports trends affecting teams across the region. He also contributes interviews, analysis, and multimedia coverage for digital audiences. His reporting helps readers stay connected to the teams and athletes that shape Montana sports. IMPACT: Luke’s work brings readers closer to the teams and athletes that define Montana’s sports culture. | January 20, 2026 11:00 PM
BIGFORK — It was a complete team effort from the Chiefs Tuesday evening.
Two second half runs of 10-plus points, eight 3-pointers and four players scoring in double-digits led Ronan past Bigfork 74-62 in Northwest A boys’ basketball.
“Tonight, we struggled no matter what we threw at them. They’re a good team, and a team we’ll have to go through if we want to get to where we want at the end of the season,” Bigfork coach John Hollow said.
Ronan’s (7-2 overall, 3-1 in the Northwest A) finished 10 of 12 at the free-throw line and shook off Saturday’s home loss to Browning. Matiya Nenemay made three 3-pointers in a 17-point effort. Jhett McDonald scored 12 of 16 points in the second half, Kolby Finley added 16, and Siouxprixm Qualtier swished two 3-pointers, scoring 14.
Treker Hickey led Bigfork (6-5, 3-2 in league) with 17 points on eight made baskets; Austin Savik added 15 and Alex Ochs contributed 10. The Vikings made six 3-pointers but shot 0-for-3 from the stripe.
“Altogether, we played a good game, even though we didn’t get the win,” said Hickey. “If we had played better defense, they wouldn’t have put up 74 points. That’s what we need to work on moving forward.”
Both teams opened with high-energy offenses, trading threes and tough finishes in a tightly contested first quarter.
Ronan jumped out to an early 6-2 lead, but Alex Oaks made a 3-pointer to keep Bigfork afloat. Hickey provided a spark for the Vikings with key drives to the basket and finding open teammates to even the score at nine
Ronan countered with back-to-back 3-pointers from Nenemay to end the quarter, leaving Bigfork ahead 20–19.
The second quarter was tug-of-war. Ronan’s full-court trap sparked an early 4-0 run. Bigfork quickly answered with an 11–0 burst fueled by a second Alex Ochs 3–pointer. Ronan forced more turnovers to create their own 10–0 jolt, before Hickey hit a mid-range jumper to steady the Vikings.
Bigfork went into halftime with a slim 35-34 lead.
Ronan’s defensive energy to start the second half forced the Vikings into turnovers. The Chiefs held Bigfork to just 12 points in each of the final two periods.
An 11-0 run accelerated the Chiefs’ energy to start the fourth quarter. Clutch shooting from McDonald and Finley put the game away, both combined for nine in the final period.
“We forgot a lot about what we do defensively. That’s our identity as a team. We’re a good defensive team, and we need to get back to that,” said Hollow.
Both teams resume play on Jan. 24. Bigfork continues on the road at Whitefish and Ronan visits Polson.
Ronan 19 15 18 22 - 74
Bigfork 20 15 15 12 - 62
RONAN — Matiya Nenemay 17, Siouxprixm Qualtier 14, Jhett McDonald 16, Kolby Finley 16, Benjamin Running Rabbit 3, Tryance Matt 8.
BIGFORK — Tayden West 3, Lance Peterson 4, Justin Gates 9 , Alex Ochs 10, Austin Savik 15 , Treker Hickey 17, Grady Campbell 4.
Bigfork's Treker Hickey (14) shoots guarded by Ronan's Matiya Nenemay (1) in the first half at Bigfork High School on Tuesday, Jan. 20. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)Casey Kreider
Ronan's Jhett McDonald (3) knocks down a jumper in the second half against Bigfork at Bigfork High School on Tuesday, Jan. 20. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)Casey Kreider
Bigfork's Alex Ochs (20) drives into the lane for a shot in the first half against Ronan at Bigfork High School on Tuesday, Jan. 20. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)Casey Kreider
Bigfork's Alex Ochs (20) drives into the lane for a shot in the first half against Ronan at Bigfork High School on Tuesday, Jan. 20. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)Casey Kreider
Ronan's Matiya Nenemay (1) drives to the basket in the second half against Bigfork at Bigfork High School on Tuesday, Jan. 20. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)Casey Kreider
Bigfork's Austin Savik (15) shoots guarded by Ronan's Tryance Matt (13) in the first half at Bigfork High School on Tuesday, Jan. 20. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)Casey Kreider
Ronan's Siouxpixm Qualtier (2) drives to the basket guarded by Bigfork's Tamret Savik (1) in the second half at Bigfork High School on Tuesday, Jan. 20. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)Casey Kreider
Bigfork's Austin Savik (15) shoots guarded by Ronan's Tryance Matt (13) in the first half at Bigfork High School on Tuesday, Jan. 20. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)Casey Kreider
Bigfork's Treker HIckey (14) drives into the lane for a jumper in the first half against Ronan at Bigfork High School on Tuesday, Jan. 20. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)Casey Kreider
Ronan's Matiya Nenemay (1) knocks down a three guarded by Bigfork's Grady Campbell (3) in the second half against Bigfork at Bigfork High School on Tuesday, Jan. 20. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)Casey Kreider
Bigfork's Austin Savik (15) shoots guarded by Ronan's Tryance Matt (13) in the first half at Bigfork High School on Tuesday, Jan. 20. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)Casey Kreider
Bigfork's Alex Ochs (20) knocks down a three in the first half against Ronan at Bigfork High School on Tuesday, Jan. 20. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)Casey Kreider
Ronan's Jhett McDonald (3) knocks down a three in the second half against Bigfork at Bigfork High School on Tuesday, Jan. 20. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)Casey Kreider
Bigfork's Treker Hickey (14) drives to the basket in the first half against Ronan at Bigfork High School on Tuesday, Jan. 20. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)Casey Kreider
Ronan's Kolby Finley (4) shoots in the second half against Bigfork at Bigfork High School on Tuesday, Jan. 20. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)Casey Kreider
Bigfork's Austin Savik (15) shoots guarded by Ronan's Kolby Finley (4) in the first half at Bigfork High School on Tuesday, Jan. 20. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)Casey Kreider
Ronan's Tryance Matt (13) drives to the basket in the second half against Bigfork at Bigfork High School on Tuesday, Jan. 20. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)Casey Kreider
Bigfork's Austin Savik (15) gets a contested layup to fall in the first half against Ronan at Bigfork High School on Tuesday, Jan. 20. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)Casey Kreider
Ronan's Kolby Finley (4) drives to the basket in the second half against Bigfork at Bigfork High School on Tuesday, Jan. 20. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)Casey Kreider
Bigfork's Tamret Savik (1) drives to the basket in the first half against Ronan at Bigfork High School on Tuesday, Jan. 20. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)Casey Kreider
Ronan's Siouxpixm Qualtier (2) goes to the basket in the second half against Bigfork at Bigfork High School on Tuesday, Jan. 20. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)Casey Kreider
Bigfork's Austin Savik (15) drives to the basket in the first half against Ronan at Bigfork High School on Tuesday, Jan. 20. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)Casey Kreider
Bigfork's Justin Gates (25) goes to the basket in the first half against Ronan at Bigfork High School on Tuesday, Jan. 20. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)Casey Kreider
Bigfork's Lance Peterson (5) saves a rebound from going out of bounds in the first half against Ronan at Bigfork High School on Tuesday, Jan. 20. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)Casey Kreider
Bigfork's Alex Ochs (20) drives to the basket in the first half against Ronan at Bigfork High School on Tuesday, Jan. 20. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)Casey Kreider
Bigfork's Alex Ochs (20) drives to the basket in the first half against Ronan at Bigfork High School on Tuesday, Jan. 20. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)Casey Kreider
Bigfork's Austin Savik (15) shoots guarded by Ronan's Kolby Finley (4) in the first half at Bigfork High School on Tuesday, Jan. 20. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)Casey Kreider
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