HAMILTON — Hank Smith had himself a game Saturday afternoon,
The 6-foot-6 Frenchtown junior scored 25 of his 37 points in the first half as the Broncs beat Butte Central 72-42 in the third-place game of the Western A Divisional boys’ basketball tournament on the Dale Berry Court.
Smith and the Broncs outscored the Maroons 23-4 in the second quarter to take control of the game, and Frenchtown did not look back.
Trevor Smith added 13 points for the 17-5 Broncs, while Brayden Ricci and Henry Griffin each scored seven. Cooper Michaud scored four.
Sophomore Jaxon Hiatt hit three 3-pointers and scored 15 points for the 17-5 Maroons, who punched their ticket next week’s Class A State tournament in Great Falls with an earlier win over Columbia Falls.
Joshua Sutton scored 10 points, while Ryan Peoples netted eight, Noah Sutton scored five points, and Henly Mansanti tossed in three. Cade Kelly, GG Fantini, Burkley Lakkala and Gunnar O’Brien also contributed for the Maroons.
The Maroons will open the State tournament at 10:30 a.m. Thursday against Billings Central at the Four Seasons Arena. (Bracket)
The trip to State will be BC’s 19th in 22 years under head coach Brodie Kelly, but it will be their first since 2024.
FRENCHTOWN (17-5) — Trevor Smith 5 1-1 13, Cooper Michaud 2 0-0 4, Konnor Klimpel 0 0-0 0, Hank Smith 16 2-3 37, Henry Griffin 2 2-2 7, Brayden Ricci 2 1-3 7, Brooks Day 0 0-0 0, Cole Pfahler 0 0-0 0, Jaxon Haynes 2 0-2 4, Cody Forthofer 0 0-0 0, Colin Finley 0 0-0 0, Hendrix Waln 0 0-0 0. Totals 29 6-11 72.
BUTTE CENTRAL (17-5) — Ryan Peoples 4 0-1 8, Cade Kelly 0 0-0 0, Joshua Sutton 4 0-0 10, GG Fantini 0 0-0 0, Jaxon Hiatt 6 0-0 15, Noah Sutton 2 0-0 5, Henly Mansanti 1 0-0 3, Burkley Lakkala 0 0-0 0, Gunnar O’Brien 0 0-0 0. Totals 17 0-1 41.
Frenchtown 18 23 12 19 — 72
Central 17 4 13 7 — 41
3-point goals — FT 6 (H. Smith 3, T. Smith 2, Griffin), BC 7 (Hiatt 3, J. Sutton 2, Mansanti, N. Sutton). Fouls — FT 5, BC 13. Fouled out — Hiatt. Technicals — none.
The ButteCast with Bill Foley 