Butte High’s boys’ and girls’ basketball teams split a pair of crucial Western AA games with Missoula Hellgate Thursday night.

The Bulldog girls battled back and won a 44-41 overtime thriller over Hellgate at the Richardson Gym. The game came after the Bulldogs honored seniors Emma Johnson and Franki Salusso and their parents as part of the Senior Night celebration.

In Missoula, the Knights used a huge fourth quarter to come back and top the Bulldogs 64-53.

Each Butte High team has two games remaining in the regular season.

Butte High’s boys will play host to Missoula Sentinel Tuesday before taking on Missoula Big Sky on Senior Night next Friday. The Bulldog girls will play at Sentinel Tuesday before heading back to Missoula next Friday to close the season at Big Sky.

BOYS
Missoula Hellgate 64, Butte High 53
MISSOULA —Spencer Wayland scored 12 of his team-leading 23 points in the fourth quarter, and the Knights overcame a Bulldog lead with a 22-8 run in the final frame.

Butte High led 20-17 after one, 32-28 at halftime and 45-42 after three quarters.

Zane Gillhouse scored 14 points for the Knights, who did a ton of damage at the free throw line, making 22 of 28 foul shots.

Liam Dick and Parker Link each scored nine points for Hellgate, and Evan Pyron tossed in eight. The win secures a spot in the Class AA State tournament for the Knights, who improved to 13-3 overall and 10-2 in conference. Butte High will have to win a playoff game to advance to State, which is in Billings.

Hudson Luedtke scored 24 points to pace the Bulldogs, who fell to 13-4 overall and 8-4 in conference. The Bulldog senior is now just eight points shy of 1,600 points on his career.

Rhett Arntson came off the bench to sink three 3-pointers and score nine points for the Bulldogs. Mitch Verlanic and Brady Hanson each tossed in six, and Cayde Stajcar scored five before fouling out.

Josh Liston added three points. Kendel Noctor also contributed for Butte High.

BUTTE HIGH (13-4, 8-4) — Cayde Stajcar 2 1-1 5, Hudson Luedtke 8 4-6 24, Mitch Verlanic 2 0-0 6, Josh Liston 1 0-0 3, Brady Hanson 3 0-1 6, Rhett Arntson 3 0-0 9, Kendel Noctor 0 0-0 0. Totals 19 5-8 53.
MISSOULA HELLGATE (13-3, 10-2) — Vince Paffhausen 0 0-0 0, Sam Cohea 1 0-0 2, Zane Gillhouse 5 3-4 14, Spencer Wayland 9 1-1 23, Evan Pyron 1 6-8 8, Liam Dick 1 7-8 9, Parker Link 2 5-6 9. Totals 19 22-28 64. 
Butte               20        12        13        8 — 53
Hellgate          17        11        14        22 — 64
3-point goals — Butte 10 (Luedtke 4, Arntson 3, Verlanic 2, Liston), Hellgate 5 (Wayland 4, Gillhouse. Fouls — Butte 22, Hellgate 11. Fouled out — Stajcar.

GIRLS
Butte High 44, Missoula Hellgate 41 (OT)

The fearless Graham sisters scored all eight Bulldog points in overtime as Butte High honored its seniors with a thrilling home victory.

The victory also put the Bulldogs in the driver’s seat for second place in the Western AA, which comes with an automatic berth into the State tournament.

Butte High is 11-6 overall and 9-3 in the Western AA. Hellgate fell to 11-5 and 8-4. The teams split the regular-season series.

Cadence and Elli Graham each scored four points in the extra frame. Cadence scored all four from the free throw line, while Elli’s four included an NBA 3-pointer.

Cadence Graham finished with a game-high 25 points thanks to a couple of extra-long 3-pointers of her own.

Hellgate led most of the way before Butte High went on a 12-6 run in the fourth quarter to extend the game.

Only four Bulldogs scored points, but the team got contributions from all eight players who stepped on the court. Elli Graham finished with 2 points, Saege Grey scored five, and Allie Becker tossed in two.

Johnson and Salusso also contributed along with Autumn Clary and Kendallyn Schad.

Each had a big moment — or more. The Bulldogs pulled away with some key loose balls and rebounds to go along with a stellar defensive performance down the stretch.

Lucy Hutchins scored all of her 10 points in the second half to lead the Knights. Elly Reed tossed in nine, and Paisley Johnson and Gianna Passuccio scored six. Texas Gilman and Cady Schneider added four, and Bayley Walker netted two.

MISSOULA HELLGATE (11-5, 8-4) — Paisley Johnson 3 0-0 6, Elly Reed 4 1-2 9, Ryan Meservy 0 0-0 0, Lucy Hutchins 4 2-2 10, Gianna Passuccio 3 0-0 6, Texas Gilman 2 0-0 4, Cady Schneider 1 2-2 4, Alexandria Miuer 0 0-0 0, Bayley Walker 1 0-0 2. Totals 18 5-6 41.
BUTTE HIGH (11-6, 9-3) — Allie Becker 0 2-2 2, Cadence Graham 6 11-15 25, Autum Clary 0 0-0 0, Franki Salusso 0 0-0 0, Emma Johnson 0 0-0 0, Elli Graham 4 2-4 12, Saege Grey 2 1-2 5, Kendallyn Schad 0 0-0 0. Totals 12 16-23 44.
Hellgate          6          8          16        6          5 — 41
Butte               7          7          10        12        8 — 44
3-point goals — Hellgate 0, Butte 4 (C. Graham 2, E. Graham 2).Fouls — Hellgate 18, Butte 9. Fouled out — none. Technicals — none.