BC heads to Dillon while, Bulldog teams face Hellgate

While much of the postgame attention was directed at arguing about the officials on social media, last Tuesday’s boys’ basketball game between Butte Central and Frenchtown was an instant classic.

Central junior GG Fantini drove for a basket and a three-point play with .9 seconds on the clock as the Maroons pulled out a 74-71 Southwestern A win at the Maroon Activities Center.

That came after junior Hank Smith put on a cape to help the Broncs tie a game that looked like a sure loss. That included a baseline 3-pointer to tie the game at 71.

The clock did not stop in time after the officials granted BC coach Brodie Kelly a time out, and the clock was reset to 7.0 seconds. The Maroons then got the ball to Fantini, who knocked in the game winner and a foul shot.

Fans argued about whether it should have been called a charge or a block — and that is an argument that will even leave officials in disagreement. Let’s just say it was a close call, but it looked like Fantini went up for the shot before the defender gained legal guarding position. That would make it a block, which is what was called.

The No. 3Maroons and No. 5 Broncs will meet again Feb. 3 in Frenchtown, and all eyes will be on that game between the two powers from the Southwestern A.

Central junior Joshua Sutton joined Smith with 30 points in the classic game, but that is not the stat that Kelly looked at after going through the numbers.

Maroon coaches put some big-time stock into a statistic called “effective field goal percentage.” That is a statistic that adjusts field goal percentage to account for the fact that 3-point field goals count for three points, while all other field goals count for two. The purpose of the state is to show what field goal percentage a 2-point shooter would have to shoot at to match that output of a player who also shoots 3-ponters.

By that measurement, the Maroons shot 100 percent in the fourth quarter of win over the Broncs. Frenchtown shot 87.5 percent in the final frame. On the game, the Broncs shot 71 percent, four points higher than Central.

The Maroons did not shoot quite as well Saturday in Hamilton, but the Maroons still pulled out a 48-36 win to improve to 8-1 overall and 3-0 in Southwestern A play. Central’s only loss was to Butte High two nights before Christmas.

Central would like to duplicate its effort against Frenchtown Thursday when the Maroons head to Dillon to take on the Beavers (5-4, 1-0). Dillon is riding a four-game winning streak behind three players averaging in double figures scoring.

Cohen Hartman leads the way, averaging 14.4 points and 6.2 rebounds per game. Braxtyn Turney adds 12 points per game, while Aason Munday brings 10.8 points and 6.4 rebounds per contest to the Beaver lineup.

Despite scoring just eight points last time out, Sutton is averaging 20.7 points per game for the Maroons. He is joined in double figures by sophomore Jaxon Hiatt with 10.3 points per game. Fantini scores 9.4, and senior Ryan Peoples adds 8.0. Junior Cade Kelly rounds out the starting lineup for BC, while freshmen Noah Sutton and Henley Mansanti and junior Burkley Lakkala are the first three off the bench.

The girls open the doubleheader at the B.W. Lodge Gymnasium at 6 p.m., and the boys will play at about 7:30.

No. 4 Dillon presents a very tough task for the BC girls (3-6, 1-2). The Beavers (8-1, 1-0) are riding a five-game winning streak since dropping a 46-40 decision to Billings Central Dec. 19 in Dillon.

Tess Tash is averaging 17.2 points and 7.8 rebounds per game to lead the powerful Dillon lineup. Landri Hartman checks in with 15.1 points and 6.7 rebounds, while Cassie Keller and Kaitlyn Konen follow at 11.7 and 11.0.

Central’s girls got a boost to the lineup with the return of sophomore Kenzie McQueary from the lineup, but BC’s comeback bid fell just short in  Saturday’s 35-31 loss at Hamilton.

The Maroons, though, were without classmate Natalie Osterman, who suffered an injury playing in a junior varsity game against Stevensville on Jan. 10.

Eighth grader Jordyn Samson’s 9.7 points per game leads the BC lineup. Sophomore Zayonna Otherbull is averaging 7.7 points and 5.2 boards, and junior Rylee Forbes pulls down 8.1 rebounds to go along with 4.8 points per game.

Sophomore Braelynn Schelin and senior Arika Stajcar start for the Maroons, who get contributions off the bench form eighth graders Luci Fantini and Mila Carriger, sophomores Evyn Smith and Jaedyn Maldonad, junior Marly Mansanti and senior Caden Tippett.

The Maroons will play Corvallis on Saturday. The boys will be on the road, while the girls host the Blue Devils at the MAC.

Bulldogs eye Knights

Butte High’s boys’ and girls’ basketball teams will each play just one varsity game this week, and that will be Thursday against Missoula Hellgate.

The boys host the Knights at the Ross J. Richardson Memorial Gymnasium, while the Bulldog girls heat to Zootown. Both Western AA games tip off at 7 p.m.

On the girls’ side, the Bulldogs (6-3, 4-0) are riding a four-game winning streak, and all four of those victories came in conference play. The includes last week’s sweep of the Helena schools.

Junior guard Cadence Graham, who scored 28 points in last Thursday’s win over Helena Capital, averages 18.9 points per game. Classmate Allie Becker moved her average to 10.1 points per game with a career-high 21 points in Saturday’s 74-41 rout at Helena High.

Junior guard Autumn Clary, a defensive specialist with scoring potential, joins Graham, Becker and seniors Franki Salusso and Emma Johnson in the starting lineup. Freshmen Saege Grey and Elli Graham and junior Kendallyn Schad have contributed in all nine Bulldog games. Juniors Reese Johnson, Ellie Yates and Avery Barsness and sophomore Stella Callaghan have also played varsity for Butte High.

The Bulldogs are ranked No. 4 in the latest 406 MT Sports rankings. Hellgate (7-1, 4-0) is No. 5.

Paisley Johnson, a 5-foot-10 junior, averages 12.6 points per game for the Knights.

For the boys, the Bulldogs (8-1, 3-1) remain in the top spot. Hellgate (6-2, 3-1) is No. 5 after last week’s 58-49 loss at Helena High.

The Bulldogs beat Helena High 75-65 Saturday, bouncing back from their first loss of the season, Thursday’s 47-43 loss at Helena Capital.

Hudson Luedtke was held to a season-low 10 points in the loss, but he bounced back with 35 points in the win over the Bengals. The frontrunner for the Gatorade is averaging 27 points per game on the season. He also leads the Class AA in assists.

The Bulldogs will literally face a tall task in taking on the Knights. Zane Gillhouse, a 6-5 senior, averages 15.3 points per game, while 6-3 senior Spencer Wayland adds 13.3 points per game. Liam Dick, a 6-7 sophomore, adds 10.7 points and 5.8 rebounds.

Butte High’s 6-9 sophomore Brady Hanson scored 12 points last time out. Senior Cayde Stajcar tossed in 10.

Seniors Mitch Verlanic and Josh Liston round out the starting five for Butte High. Seniors Rhett Arntson, Kendel Noctor, Ryan Hanson and James Peraston are the first players off the bench. Senior Kaleb Celli and juniors Raeder Grey, Brady Walsh and Koda Schleeman have also seen varsity time for the Dogs.

Dogs, Maroons place at Fisher

Butte High freshman Renzy LeProwse won the 103-pound title at the Jug Beck Rocky Mountain Classic, which was held Friday and Saturday in Missoula. Several blocks away, Bulldog senior Mattie Stepan won her weight class at the Hellgate Girls’ Wrestling Invitational.

That, though, was not the end of the Butte wrestling success last weekend in Missoula.

Butte High and Butte Central grapplers also found success at the John Fisher meet at Missoula Big Sky.

Bulldog Crew O’Connor won the 103-pound division, while Butte Central’s Jampel Hanley took the top spot in the 103A division.

Harlas Hicks placed second at 150B.

Butte High saw a handful of wrestlers place third in the divisions. They are Aiden Much (150A), Andrew Baca (132B), Austen Belisario (126A), Hunter Rees (118A) and Joey Ward (132A.

Central’s Jace Rauch placed third at 103, while Bradon Armstrong (118A), Brekyn Armstrong (132A), Kelsen Brackett (126A) and Kohler Sparks (126A) all placed fourth.

Butte High will send its varsity team to the Class AA Duals Saturday in Great Falls. The Bulldog boys and girls will take on Missoula Sentinel next Thursday (Jan. 29) at the Butte High old gym. That will be Senior Night.

The Maroons, meanwhile, will be in Frenchtown for a meet this Thursday. Action begins at 5 p.m.

Swimmers back in Butte

The swimming teams from Butte High and Butte Central will be back in action Saturday at the Mining City Invitational at the Butte Family YMCA.

Action begins at noon.

We are heading toward crunch time of the swimming season, with just a few meets left before the Feb. 12-14 State meet in Great Falls.

Butte High will host the Butte Invite on Jan. 30 before heading to Missoula for a meet on Jan. 31. Central’s schedule also lists a “Butte Crosstown” event on Monday, Feb. 2.