HAMILTON — Butte Central fell one bucket short of the Western A Divisional girls’ basketball tournament.

Hamilton edged BC in a 29-28 in a Western A play-in game Saturday on the Dale Berry Court. The win sends the Broncs (8-11) to the Western A Divisional tournament next Thursday through Saturday in Hamilton.

The Maroons, who beat Stevensville Thursday in Butte to advance to the game, close their season at 7-12.

Anna Lews scored 10 points to lead the Broncs, who outscored BC 17-10 in the second half. A surge in the second quarter gave BC an 18-12 lead at halftime. The Broncs erased that lead in third quarter, sending the game to the final 8 minutes tied at 23.

Ashlynn McKern added seven points for Hamilton. Meryn Leonardi and Elise Carroll each scored four points, and Taryn Hoccholter tossed in two.

Zayonna Otherbull’s eight points paced the Maroons. Kenzie McQueary, who buried a buzzer-beating 3-pointer to cut the lead to one, and Rylee Forbes each scored six points. Luci Fantini scored five points, and fellow eighth grader Jordyn Samson tossed in three.

Braelynn Schelin and Arika Stajcar also contributed for the Maroons.

The loss closes the book on the prep basketball careers of Stajcar and fellow senior Caden Tippett.

Hamilton will open the Western A Divisional tournament at 8 p.m. Thursday against Bigfork, the top seed out of the Northwestern A.

BUTTE CENTRAL (7-12) — Kenzie McQueary 2 1-2 6, Zayonna Otherbull 3 0-0 8, Rylee Forbes 2 2-2 6, Braelynn Schelin 0 0-0 0, Arika Stajcar 0 0-0 0, Luci Fantini 1 2-4 5, Jordyn Samson 1 1-1 3. Totals 9 6-9 28.
HAMILTON (8-11) — Anna Lewis 4 4-6 10, Mery Leonardi 1 1-4 4, Nellie Dickemore 0 0-0 0, Elise Carroll 2 0-0 4, Ashlynn McKern 3 0-0 7, Taryn Hoccholter 1 0-0 2, Kassidee McKern 0 0-2 0, Tayleigh Bakken 0 0-0 0. Totals 11 5-12 29.
Central           6          12        5          5 — 28
Hamilton        6          6          11        6 — 29
3-point goals — BC 4 (Otherbull 2, McQueary, Fantini), Hamilton 2 (Leonardi, A. McKern). Fouls — BC 14, Hamilton 10. Fouled out — none. Technicals — none.