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Chinook boys earn a shot at top-ranked Box Elder in Saturday night's 9C title game
Chinook's Jake Diemert, right, races to the basket during Thursday night's District 9C boys semifinal against Hays-Lodge Pole. The Sugarbeeters won, advancing to Saturday night's championship game.
Hays-Lodge Pole's Tyson Shambo goes up high for a layup[ during Thursday night's 9C boys semifinal game against Chinook. The Thunderbirds were beaten by the Sugarbeeters, dropping HLP into today's loser-out game.
HLP's Frank RunsAbove goes for a layup during Thursday night's 9C semifinal game against Chinook.
Chinook's Lane Seymour spots up for a 3-pointer during the Sugarbeeter's 9C semifinal win over Hays0Lodge Pole Thursday night in Havre.
Chinook's Jacob MacLean looks to shoot during Thursday night's 9C boys semifinal at the HHS gymnasium.
An unlikely hero emerged in the District 9C boys semifinal basketball game on Thursday night in Havre.
Playing at the Havre High gymnasium with a championship game berth on the line, the Chinook Sugarbeeters and Hays-Lodge Pole Thunderbirds were locked up in a very tight game. But heading into the fourth quarter, it was the Beeters who were able to widen the gap and earn the 52-44 win. The win means the second-seeded Beeters (13-7) will face the Box Elder Bears in the title game at 7:30 p.m. on Saturday. The T-Birds (14-6) will face the Turner Tornadoes in loser out action tonight at 8 p.m.
Heading into the fourth quarter the Thunderbirds held a narrow 34-33 lead over the Beeters. But a quick change in the offensive attack by the Beeters seemed to make the biggest difference.
“Early on in the third quarter we were too stagnant,” Chinook head coach Mike Seymour said. “We weren’t attacking the basket like we needed to. But in the fourth quarter we got into our dribble drive offense and we were able to attack the basket, and I think that was the difference, just being able to change up the offense.”
The name Jake Diemert could also be considered the biggest difference.
Diermert took full advantage of the Chinook dribble drive attack. HLP was running a box-and-one defense, keying on Zach Molyneaux who did finish the game with 13 points. But with HLP trying to shut down Molyneaux, Diemert got lost in the shuffle down on the baseline. And in the opening three minutes of the final frame, Diemert scored six of his 13 points and grabbed one of his three rebounds. His efforts quickly turned a one-point deficit to a 41-38 lead. Diemert hit back-to-back 10-foot jumpers to spark the Chinook offense.
“I am not usually the guy taking those shots,” Diemert said. “But I was open and I just shot the ball. They had a box-and-one on Zach Molyneaux and left me open, so I decided to shoot and luckily it went in. It definitely feels good to have hit those shots, I was pretty excited.”
From there, the Beeters outscored the Thunderbirds 11-6 to take the win. But free throws were also big, as Chinook hit 22-of-29 while HLP was just 7-of-11.
Lane Seymour finished with 15 points for the Beeters, followed by Molyneaux’s 13. Seymour also had a double-double with 14 rebounds in 32 minutes of playing time.
The Thunderbirds were able to run with the Beeters early on, but both teams had to overcome a slow first quarter. The Thunderbirds led 8-6 after eight minutes but the Beeters led 25-18 at the half. Neither team shot particularly well, Chinook 31 percent from the field and Hays-Lodge Pole 35 percent from the field. HLP did outrebound Chinook 39-29, but the T-Birds also had six more turnovers, 16-10.
HLP was paced by Tyson Shambo with 11, while also getting eight from Sterling White Cow and seven from both Nate Doney and Codie Kirkaldie.
The Beeters are excited to be in the 9C championship game after coming up short in a challenge game against Big Sandy last February. But head coach Mike Seymour knows the task ahead will be a tough one, as Box Elder is the top team in Class C and is unbeaten on the season. That unblemished record includes two wins over the Beeters this winter.
“Anytime you can get a win in the semifinals that is momentum,” Coach Seymour said. “Box Elder is a great team and we will have to be on our A game and we will need some of their guys to have an off night.”
The Beeters will face Box Elder in the title game at 7:30 p.m. on Saturday. The T-Birds will face Turner in loser-out action tonight at 8.
Chinook 52, Hays-Lodge Pole 44
Chinook 6 19 8 19 – 52
HLP 8 10 16 10 – 44
Chinook – Lane Seymour 4-15 7-8 15, Ian McIntosh 0-5 0-2 0, Zach Molyneaux 4-5 4-4 13, Jacob MacLean 1-9 3-6 6, Cody McCracken 1-2 2-2 4, Zack Schellin 0-2 0-0 0, Jake Diemert 4-7 6-7 14. Totals 14-45 22-29 52.
HLP – Andrew Cole 0-1 0-1 0, Codie Kirkaldie 3-9 0-0 7, Tyson Shambo 4-11 2-3 11, Damon Castillo 1-1 0-0 2, Nate Doney 2-7 3-4 7, Sterling White Cow 3-7 1-2 8, Frank RunsAbove 2-3 1-2 5, Bruce Denny Jr. 1-3 0-0 2, Kennan Stiffarm 1-6 0-0 2. Totals 17-48 7-11 44.
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