The boys’ basketball teams from Butte Central and Frenchtown put on another thrilling display Tuesday night at the Maroon Activities Center.

BC edged the Broncs 74-71 on an old-fashion 3-point play by GG Fantini with 9 tenths of a second left at the Maroon Activities Center. Meanwhile, the Frenchtown girls topped BC 55-18 in a Southwestern A game in Frenchtown.

Both BC teams will be on the road Saturday to take on Hamilton.


BOYS
Butte Central 74, Frenchtown 55
Fantini made a play for the ages to end a game for the ages.

Hank Smith, a 6-foot-6 junior, sank a baseline 3-pointer to tie the game at 71. Central coach Brodie Kelly called timeout, and the clock was set with 7 ticks left in the game.

BC got the ball to Joshua Sutton, who poured in 30 points for the Maroons. He got past half court and passed to Fantini.

Fantini drove baseline and scored while crashing into Frenchtown defender Henry Griffin. The Broncs wanted a charge, but video clearly shows that Fantini left his feet before Griffin was set.

Fantini sank the free throw, and the Broncs could not get off a competitive shot at the buzzer.

That capped a wild, back-and-forth game between the two rivals used to wild games.

Sutton connected on four 3-pointers and was 6 for 6 from the free throw line in the win. Jaxon Hiatt added 16 points for BC, and Fantini finished with 11. Ryan Peoples scored six points, Cade Kelly hit two huge 3-pointers to score six points, and Noah Sutton tossed in three.

Henly Mansanti and Burkley Lakkala also contributed for the Maroons, who improved to 7-1 overall and 2-0 in Southwestern A play.

Smith scored 30 for the Broncs, who fell to 5-3 and 0-1. Unfortunately, the point totals in the official book do not add up correctly for the Frenchtown players, so a boxscore is not available.

Girls
Frenchtown 55, Butte Central 18
Mason Quinn had a huge game, pouring in 21 points in just three quarters of action to lead the Broncs in the victory.

Jezzy Palmer and Laney Holleran each added eight points, and Blake Hardy scored seven for the Broncs, who led 36-13 at halftime.

Jordyn Samson scored seven points for BC, which got four from Rylee Forbes, three from Arika Stajcar, two from Mila Carriger and one from Zayonna Otherbull and Braelyn Scheliin. Evyn Smith, Caden Tippett, Marly Mansanti, Jaedyn Maldonado and Luci Fantini also contributed for the Maroons, who fell to 3-5 overall and 1-1 in league play.

The Broncs improved to 6-2 and 2-0.

BUTTE CENTRAL (3-5, 1-1) — Jordyn Samson 2 3-3 7, Zayonna Otherbull 0 1-4 1, Rylee Forbes 2 0-0 4, Braelynn Schelin 0 1-2 1, Arika Stajcar 1 1-2 3, Evyn Smith 0 0-0 0, Marly Mansanti 0 0-0 0, Jaedyn Maldonado 0 0-0 0, Mila Carriger 1 0-0 2, Luci Fantini 0 0-0 0, Caden Tippett 0 0-0 0. Totals 6 6-11 18.
FRENCHTOWN (6-2, 2-0) — Mason Quinn 7 2-2 21, Jezzy Palmer 3 1-3 8, Laney Holleran 3 2-4 8, Ryan Lucier 2 0-0 4, Blake Hardy 3 0-0 7, Iris Arlint 1 0-0 2, Halle Zemliska 0 0-0 0, Sophia Lebsock 0 0-0 0, Addy Hanes 0 0-0 0, Henley Harris 1 0-0 3. Totals 21 5-9 55.
Central           9          4          3          2 — 18
Frenchtown   15        21        8          11 — 55
3-point goals — BC 0, FT 8 (Quinn 5, Palmer, Hardy, Harris). Fouls — BC 5, FT 8. Fouled out — none. Technicals — none.