Proud Savage Heat end play at Western C
JOHN HAMILTON | Hagadone News Network | UPDATED 2 months, 2 weeks AGO
RUNNING THE FLOOR at the District 14C tournament in Polson Feb. 20, Hot Springs senior Kara Christensen and her teammates completed season play at the Western C divisional tournament in Butte last week. Superior’s Maryisa Swope and Perri Jasper are shown pursuing Christensen. (John Hamilton/vp-mi)
A season to be proud of, all said and done.
The Hot Springs Savage Heat girls completed season play with a hard-earned appearance in the Western C divisional basketball tournament in Butte last week, falling to Manhattan Christian 49-32 Wednesday and 62-45 to Lincoln Thursday.
Coach Brady Ovitt, the Hot Springs athletic director who took over coaching duties at the last minute entering regular season play, and his hard-working girls finish season play with a fine 14-9 overall record, holding up the Western C berth and regular season wins over rivals Charlo and Plains as highlights.
“I am proud of how these girls competed, not just in Butte but all season,” he said. “We ran into a couple pretty good teams in Butte, but they kept trying, playing hard to the end.”
The Heat stayed close to the very big, very deep Eagles early in the first round game Wednesday but Manhattan Christian eventually pulled away.
Kara Christensen scored 17 points to pace Hot Springs, Eleanor Massey added eight, Callie Cano six and Kora Hensrude one.
Imposing post players Karissa VanKirk and Emily Straatman led Christian, with VanKirk collecting 19 points and 12 rebounds and Straatman adding 16 points and 11 boards.
Back on court at the Maroon Activity Center Thursday, the Heat trailed only 29-27 at halftime before the Lynx took control with a 14-6 win of the third quarter and eventually moved to the win.
Like clockwork, Christensen was again good for 17 points to lead the Heat, Cano and Massey each scored nine points, Hensrude five, Mackenzie Johnson three and Dakota Slonaker two.
Remi Dietz led Lincoln with 21 points, Maddi Davis added 19 and Makena Copenhaver-Clark and Hailey Smith 11 each as those four scored all on the Lynx’s points in the game.
Ovitt said he will miss the seniors from this year’s Heat squad as Christensen, Cano and Johnson donned the black and red for Hot Springs for the last time of their careers in Butte.
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