Landmark boys title for Sentinel; Scobey also wins

Chalk up another state title for the Billings Central Rams and Scobey Spartans, who decisively won championship games Saturday as the boys basketball seasons wrapped up. 

Billings Central won its fourth State A crown in 12 appearances with a 70-40 rout of Dillon. The Spartans won their fifth, beating Lustre Christian 56-39. 

Missoula Sentinel, meanwhile, won its fourth AA title and second since 1986 by beating Billings West 47-46 on Lincoln Rogers’ 3-pointer with 15 seconds left in overtime. 

Lodge Grass won its eighth State B crown as well, 69-48 over Harlem behind 24 points from DJ Gros Ventre. 

Sentinel 47, West 46 OT 

BILLINGS — Rogers scored 25 points, including a 3-pointer just 15 seconds after West’s Gayson Baumann hit one — off an offensive rebound by Elias Bonner — to put the Bears up 46-44. 

West pushed for a game-tying shot that missed and Rogers snared his 11th rebound to seal it.  

Cash Rice scored 17 for West, which trailed 37-28 after Rogers hit two free throws with 3:22 left in regulation. From there the Spartans committed five turnovers and scored just two free throws; Rice’s spinning bucket with 2.8 seconds left forced OT. 

Baumman added 12 points for the Golden Bears. Kade Robinson had 13 points for Sentinel. 

Billings West was in its 22nd title game, 14 of them losses, including last year. Its last title game in 2012. 

Billings Central 70, Dillon 40 

GREAT FALLS — The Rams led 28-19 at halftime and then buried the Beavers under seven 3-pointers and 42 points in the second half. 

Toby Stewart hit five treys on the way to 23 points; he hit one to put Central up 39-21 late in the third quarter, and another to make it 58-36 with 4:45 left in the game. 

Darcy Merchant, Jr., added 16 points and hit his second triple to put the Rams up 63-38 with 2:50 remaining. 

Cy Hansen and Gunnar Larsen added seven points each for Central. 

Dillon was led by Braxtyn Turney’s 14 points and five rebounds. The Beavers beat Central in three straight title games, 2016-18; in 2021 the Rams returned the favor, and again Saturday. The Rams also beat Hardin for the 2019 crown. 

Scobey 56, Lustre Christian 39 

MISSOULA — Cooper Axtman scored 14 points to lead three players in double figures for the Scobey Spartans, who built a 31-19 halftime lead and didn’t look back in the State C title game. 

John Carney added 11 points and Kolten Machart 10 for Scobey. Bram Handran added eight points and 11 rebounds for the Spartans, who won their fourth state championship in Class C. Their titles came in 1979 (Class B), 1996, 2011 and 2021 . 

Joel Reddig’s 13 points led the Lions, who were in their first title game. Johnslee Pierre added 10 points and nine rebounds. 

Lodge Grass 69, Harlem 48

Behind Gros Ventre, JJ Bends and Lexin Bouyer had 13 points each and Colvin Wyles 10 for the Indians.  

Cody McCabe scored 19 for the Wildcats, who trailed 30-15 at halftime. Harlem, which won the 2002 State B crown, fell to 1-3 in title games. Lodge Grass is 8-5 in championships; the Indians lost in last year’s title game to Missoula Loyola.