Lady Bulldogs gain valuable experience at State A Tournament
BRANDON HANSEN For the Pilot | Whitefish Pilot | UPDATED 2 weeks, 4 days AGO
The results weren’t what the Whitefish girls basketball team had hoped for, but the Lady Bulldogs walked away from the State A tournament with something just as important: experience.
Competing against some of the top teams in Montana at Four Seasons Arena in Great Falls, Whitefish’s young roster showed flashes of promise while learning what it takes to compete at the highest level.
“As a young group, we learned how physical the game is at this level,” head coach Bob Bolam told the Daily Inter Lake. “It showed up in these two games and we’ve got to get a little stronger to handle that.”
Whitefish opened the tournament against Havre, falling 51-23 in first-round action. Despite the final score, the Bulldogs showed early fight. After falling behind 8-0, Reese Hudson knocked down two 3-pointers and Sammie Shors added a transition basket to pull Whitefish within 14-11 at the end of the first quarter.
“I think we learned something today about physicality,” Bolam said. “If we want to be a state-caliber team, we’ve got to get more physical and a bit stronger.”
Havre responded with a stifling defensive effort, holding Whitefish without a field goal until midway through the third quarter. Avery Orme led the Bulldogs with seven points, all from the free-throw line, while Hudson added six and Allie Shors chipped in five.
Facing elimination, Whitefish returned to the court Friday against Laurel but ran into a hot-shooting Locomotives squad, falling 59-35 to end its season.
Orme led Whitefish with 11 points, while Allie Shors added six and Hudson contributed three. Laurel built an early 23-9 lead and maintained control behind a barrage of perimeter shooting, finishing with 10 made 3-pointers. Emerson Gunther paced Laurel with 20 points, including four from beyond the arc.
“It felt like we were a little outgunned today,” Bolam said. “They hit a lot of shots and we just couldn't get many to fall.”
Despite the losses, the Bulldogs capped their season with a 16-8 record and their first state tournament appearance since 2021, a significant step forward for a team built largely around underclassmen.
Freshman Avery Orme led the team in scoring during the tournament, while sophomores Allie Shors and Reese Hudson delivered key contributions throughout the season.
“We’re going to get back in the gym this summer and keep working,” Orme said. “I learned pretty quick how to play at this level of competition.”