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News you can use
The Havre High boys basketball team was intent on getting to the Class A state championship game and played like it against the Dillon Beavers. And when Nate Rismon’s final 3-point attempt was in the air, every Blue Pony player had to believe it was going in, only in the end, it didn’t.
Unfortunately for Havre, Rismon’s potential game-winning shot went halfway down before popping out and giving Dillon the dramatic 60-58 win in the semifinals of the Class A state tournament Friday in Bozeman at the Brick Breeden Fieldhouse.
In the early going, the game felt a lot like Havre’s win in the quarterfinals over Billings Central on Thursday night as the Ponies came out of the gates firing on all cylinders. Jerod Boles set the tone with an opening trey and thanks to threes by Dane Warp and Nate Rismon, Havre built an 18-8 advantage after a 14-2 run.
Yet, the Beavers haven’t dominated Class A basketball for the past decade without reason and closed the first quarter on a 6-0 run to trim the Havre lead to 18-14. Then, after a back and forth second quarter, Dillon took a razor thin 29-28 advantage into halftime.
Rismon opened the third quarter with a trey to put the Ponies back in the lead and after a score by Jase Kato, Havre led 34-29 after a 6-0 run to start the second half. But, Dillon again answered by hitting some outside shots of their own and with eight minutes to go, the Beavers held a 44-42 lead.
Boles gave Havre the one-point edge early in the fourth with a three but the advantage didn’t last long as Dillon answered with an 8-1 run to take a six-point lead. The Beavers maintained that advantage until the final minute when 3-pointers by LaBrie and Boles, the second of which game with 59 seconds left, got Havre within two at 58-56.
With just over 30 seconds left and HHS still trailing by two, Rismon got a steal and Havre got the break it needed. After a timeout with 27 seconds remaining, the ball found its way to Rismon for the final shot, which rimmed out in heartbreaking fashion.
Warp led all scorers in the game with 20. Michael Bakke pitched in with 10 for Havre, while Boles and Rismon each added nine.
Havre is still alive for third place but will need to knock off Columbia Falls Saturday morning at 11 a.m., in order to get into the consolation game tomorrow night, which is scheduled for 6:30 p.m.
Friday did see the Rocky Boy Stars bounce back from the opening-round loss at the Class B state tournament in Great Falls. Rocky Boy beat Big Timber in a loser-out game and will take on Bigfork Saturday morning to stay alive.
For complete state tourney coverage, see Monday's Havre Daily News.
Friday's Scores
The Associated Press
BOYS BASKETBALL
State AA
Loser Out
Bozeman 52, Missoula Sentinel 39
Missoula Hellgate 75, Missoula Big Sky 37
Semifinal
Billings Skyview 53, Helena Capital 39
Billings West 74, Great Falls 68
State A
Loser Out
Billings Central 54, Polson 52
Columbia Falls 66, Belgrade 64
Semifinal
Dillon 60, Havre 58
Laurel 58, Butte Central 55
State B
Loser Out
Columbus 85, St. Labre 57
Rocky Boy 54, Big Timber 53
Semifinal
Choteau 62, Bigfork 53
Missoula Loyola 71, Huntley Project 61
State C
Loser Out
Manhattan Christian 68, Broadview-Lavina 40
Mon-Dak 76, Northern Cheyenne 54
Semifinal
Belt 67, Arlee 65
Fairview 47, Highwood 44
GIRLS BASKETBALL
State AA
Loser Out
Billings Senior 52, Missoula Big Sky 34
Kalispell Glacier 51, Great Falls Russell 42
Semifinal
Bozeman 50, Missoula Sentinel 46
State B
Loser Out
Columbus 45, Plains 44, OT
Manhattan 54, Bigfork 50
Semifinal
Malta 44, Forsyth 42
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