Blue Ponies leave home on a high note

Monday night was senior night for the Havre High boys basketball team, but it was a junior that almost stole the show.

Monday evening at the HHS gymnasium, the Central A Blue Ponies defeated the Class B Malta Mustangs 61-59 in nonconference play. And prior to the win, Kade Barsotti, Anfernee Standing Rock, Ryan Myers, Drew Kafka and Corderro Strickland were all recognized as this years senior players.

"I was happy we were able to get them a win," Havre High head coach Andy Smith said. "That's always fun sending them off like that, and I am sure they are going to remember it. Every senior that went in tonight helped the team win tonight and they are such a good group of kids, we are going to miss their leadership and effort night in and night out."

But facing a tough Mustangs program, it was junior Logan Connor who kept the Ponies in contention for the win.

HHS opened up with 14 points in the first quarter, holding the Mustangs to just five. Connor had five for the Ponies. But in the second quarter the Ponies were outscored 19-18, but Connor once again made his mark. Connor went 4-of-4 from behind the 3-point-line and accounted for 12 of the Ponies' second quarter points.

Connor's hot shooting kept the Ponies in the game while Standing Rock re-emerged as an offensive threat and helped earn the HHS win. The Ponies outscored the Mustangs 15-14 in the third, but got outscored 21-14 in the fourth in another close call win.

Standing Rock had just two points in the first quarter on 1-of-7 shooting, but slightly improved in the second quarter as he grabbed six points on 3-of-7 shooting. In the third quarter Standing Rock added six more before grabbing 11 more in the fourth for a team high 25 points.

Connor finished with 23 points with the help from 6-of-6 shooting behind the arc.

"I was so ready to play and I was so ready to get revenge on these guys (Malta)," Connor said. "I knew this was our chance and we came out hot and got the win. We couldn't have done it without our seniors. They are the ones that bring us up, they are the leaders and we just couldn't have done it without them."

Kafka, Barsotti and Myers all finished with two points each. And Strickland played well on the boards and even grabbed an assist to Barsotti.

Dane Stiles led the comeback attempt against the Ponies for Malta. He finished with 21 points and had 14 in the second half.

HHS played outside its norm on Monday. Matla came in with a very high tempo, and the Ponies matched it. Normally Browning is the only team that pushes the Ponies that fast, but HHS adapted and played it out. Both teams put up over 50 shots, while the Ponies went 17-of-41 from two-point range and the Mustangs went 6-of-16.

It wasn't the style Havre is used to playing, but they handled it and played well.

"It feels good to put back-to-back solid games together," Smith said. "And that's what we needed especially as the tournament gets closer."

Friday the Ponies (7-9) will return to action as they face Conrad on the road.

Havre 61, Malta 59

Havre 14 18 15 14 – 61

Malta 5 19 14 21 – 59

Havre – Anfernee Standing Rock 25, Logan Connor 23, Ryan Myers 2, Ryan Brandt 5, Kade Barsotti 2, Brandon Smith 2, Drew Kafka 2

Malta – Dane Stiles 21, Kendall Denham 10, Landon Costin 9, Zach Handley 8, Kyle Boos 6, Jarvis Graham 5.