Class A boys win annual Hi-Line Invitational title

The 28th annual Hi-Line Invitational Tournament wrapped up Saturday night in Havre, and over the three days of action, the prep all-stars didn’t disappoint on the hardwood.

Some of the state’s best boys basketball players gathered at the Armory Gymnasium at Montana State University-Northern, as teams from the Class C, Class B, Class A, and Class AA battled Thursday through Saturday for a team title and a spot on the All Tournament Team.

And this year, it was the Class A boys who won the team title with a 106-99 win over Class AA. The Class C squad defeated Class B 127-112 in the consolation game for a third-place finish.

Class AA has dominated the HIT over the last decade, but was unable to repeat as champions after falling behind early Saturday night.

Athletes like John Chapman of Frenchtown helped the Class A get to an early dominating lead. Chapman hit back-to-back 3-pointers near the six minute mark in the first quarter to help take a 15-10 lead. Havre’s Dane Warp also hit a couple of early free throws to stretch the lead to 25-10 at the 4:19 mark, as the Class A boys led 37-20 through the first frame with great shooting from outside. Warp started the second frame with a block and steal as Class A quickly led by 19, but the Class AA athletes weren’t going to go away without a fight.

Defense sometimes gets overlooked in all-star tournaments, and the Class AA team got out and ran late in the second quarter.

With 5:45 left in the first half the Class A lead was cut to two points, 54-52. The Class AA reeled off a 19-11 run that was capped off by a Mark Lebsock (Missoula Hellgate) 3-pointer.

It was a race to the finish in the second half, but the Class A all-stars would hold on for the win. Some timely treys and clutch free throws late in the fourth quarter were key in the win, and Ty Morgan (Columbia Falls) drained a triple with 3:25 left to play to give the Class A a 97-92 lead that they wouldn’t give up down the final stretch. Class A was led by Troy Scott and Morgan with 18 points each, while Jared Trinastich and Bridger Truett both finished with 16. Zac Allen and Chapman both finished with 14 and Warp finished with 10. Chapman also had five assists and four of the team’s nine 3-pointers.

Adam Huse paced the AA team with his 22 points and four 3-pointers as well. Brendan Howard also added 21, while Lebsock finished with 17. Rhett Baerlocher added 15, while Lukas Vining finished with 10, Matt Wyman finished with nine, and Devin Bray finished with five. Vining also had seven assists and seven rebounds.

The game was tied nine times and the lead changed six times as the Class AA outshot the A team 55 percent to 53 percent from the field in the loss.

Scott was named the MVP of the tournament. The All Tournament Team was made up of Allen, Michael Harris, Huse, Jacob Bakken, Kevin Oberweiser, Baerlocher, Zach Handley, Howard, Trinastich, Vining and Scott. Huse was also the 3-point champion, while Wyman was the slam dunk champion with a perfect score of 40 on his final dunk. Vining was the assist leader and Howard was the rebound leader, while Mr. Hustle was given to Morgan and Mr. Defense was given to Trase Letexier. The steals leader came down to a three-way tie, and was given to Warp, Huse and Howard.

HIT Boys

Thursday

Class B 113, Class C 106

C – Brandon The Boy 12, Zach Molyneaux 10, Randall Gardipee 28, Jacob Bakken 26, Brayden Wacker 9, Clayton Morsette Jr. 3, Kevin Oberweiser 7, Ty Martin 11

B – Michael Harris 27, Zach Handley 19, Wyatt Pannabecker 18, Cole Groschens 17, Desmond Parker 7, Derrek Durocher 3, Trase Letexier 4, Junior Day Child 10, Collin Achenbach 8

Class A 98, Class AA 97

A – Ty Morgan 11, John Chapman 10, Dane Warp 10, Troy Scott 18, Jared Trinastich 15, Tyler Thompson 2; Bridger Truett 12; Zac Allen 20

AA – Lukas Vining 18, Devin Bray 15, Rhett Baerlacher 22, Mark Lebsock 6, Matt Wyman 8, Adam Huse 17, Brendan Howard 11

Friday

Class A 107, Class C 94

C – Brandon The Boy 8, Kevin Oberweiser 27, Ty Martin 8, Randall Gardipee 11, Jacob Bakken 11, Zach Molyneaux 7, Clayton Morsette Jr. 12, Lonnie Plain Bull Jr. 2, Brayden Wacker 8

A – Ty Morgan 12, Tyler Thompson 3, Bridger Truett 17, Jared Trinastich 18, Zac Allen 9, John Chapman 5-9 2-3 14, Dane Warp 19, Troy Scott 15

Class AA 93, Class B 71

B – Michael Harris 13, Zach Handley 18, Wyatt Pannabecker 4, Cole Groschens 2, Desmond Parker 7, Derrek Durocher 4, Trase Letexier 4, Junior Day Child 10, Colin Achenbach 9.

AA – Devin Bray 9, Adam Huse 8, Rhett Baerlacher 9; Mark Lebsock 6, Matt Wyman 9, Lukas Vining 40, Brendan Howard 12.

Class A 110, Class B 94

B – Zach Handley 17, Wyatt Pannabecker 11, Derrek Durocher 15, Trase Letexier 14, Junior Day Child 8, Cole Groschens 5, Desmond Parker 12, Colin Achenbach 12.

A – John Chapman 15, Dane Warp 8, Bridger Truett 11, Troy Scott 16, Jared Trinastich 19, Ty Morgan 20, Tyler Thompson 6, Zac Allen 15.

Saturday

Class AA 111, Class C 79

C – Zach Molyneaux 6, Kevin OBerweiser 15, Ty Martin 6, Jacob Bakken 12, Brayden Wacker 11, Brandon The Boy 2, Clayton Morsette Jr. 16, Randall Gardipee 11.

AA – Lukas Vining 19, Devin Bray 5, Adam Huse 9, Matt Wyman 19, Brendan Howard 29, Rhet Baerolacher 21, Mark Lebsock 9.

Consolation

Class C 127, Class B 112

B – Zach Handley 19, Wyatt pannebaker 34, Cole Groschens 9, Desmond Parker 23, Colin Achenbach 4, Derrek Durocher 3, Trase Letexier 8, Junior Day Child 8.

C – Clayton Morsette Jr. 9, Kevin Oberweiser 26, Ty Martin 16, Randall Gardipee 25, Brayden Wacker 10, Brandon The Boy 8, Zach Molyneaux 14, Jacob Bakken 14.

Championship

Class A 106, Class AA 99

A – Ty Morgan 18, Bridger Truett 16, Zac Allen 14, John Chapman 14, Dane Warp 10, Troy Scott 18, Jared Trinastich 16.

AA – Lukas Vining 10, Devin Bray 5, Rhett Baerolacher 15, Mark Lebsock 17, Brendan Howard 21, Adam Huse 22, Matt Wyman 9.