9C Tournament Extra: Molly Herron, Big Sandy

Big Sandy senior Molly Herron might play in a small town, but she comes from a big basketball family. In actuality, Herron has two basketball families. She has her Pioneer teammates, who together bleed purple and gold. But she also has her sisters, who have either already played for the Pioneers, or are about to.

In other words, for Herron, basketball and family go hand-in-hand.

And even though she followed in the footsteps of older sisters, Kaci and Josi, Herron has carved her own niche in Pioneer lore. A four-year starter, Herron is a three-time All-District and All-Conference performer, and she is about to complete her senior year as District 9C’s top scorer.

But Herron wants more. Growing up watching Big Sandy win district championship after district championship, and making trip after to trip to the Northern C, and sometimes beyond, her Big Sandy teams have yet to taste that kind of success. That’s something she’s hoping to remedy this week in Havre. Herron, who recently committed to play college basketball for the University of Great Falls Argos, wants to earn a different trip to Great Falls, the one which comes with making it to the Northern C next week, just like her older sisters did before her.

That’s the goal. That’s her mission in what will be her last 9C tournament of what has already been an outstanding career, a career she can call her own.

Here are five questions with Big Sandy’s leading scorer as she plays in the 9C tournament for the final time.

HDN: What’s the best thing about being a part of the great tradition of Big Sandy girls basketball?

Herron: “I guess it’s the small town basketball I love. We all get along, we are all really close on and off the court. I just like the atmosphere we have always had here.”

HDN: How much would it mean for you and the Pioneers to get back to the Northern C? And what will it take for that to happen?

Herron: “It would mean a lot. I’ve been playing since my freshman year and it just hasn’t happened. So to do it during our senior year would be great. And to do it we have to beat North Star tomorrow (Thursday). We have to play good defense and run our offense like we know we can.”

HDN: You are part of a big basketball family. In a game of horse, who wins between you, Kaci, Josi and Marca? And how good is Marca going to be in high school?

Herron: “Kaci always wins those games. I think it’s because she’s left handed or something. Marca will be better than all of us. We’ve beaten up on her over the years so she’s going to be ready for basketball — but she still can’t beat me in one-on-one.”

HDN: What’s your best high school basketball memory so far?

Herron: “That’s a hard one. I guess it would be just last week. I made a half-court shot at the buzzer at Roy-Winifred.”

HDN: For all of these schools, the 9C tournament is a really big deal. Why is it so special?

Herron: “It’s fun. Big crowds that get loud and really into the games. You don’t get that as much during the regular season. And it’s amazing how every town basically shows up to this tournament. And it creates really good rivalries. It’s just a lot of fun to play in this tournament.”