Central A Time: Pony boys brace for Rangers, Panthers

Chris Peterson

Havre Daily News

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The Havre High boys basketball has big ambitions for the 2015-16 season. And with the start of Central A conference play this weekend, the Blue Ponies are looking to make a statement.

The Ponies didn't win the Central A last season, but with a number of key players back, including three-time All-State honoree Dane Warp, HHS is viewed as the best team in the conference. And with Livingston and Belgrade, its top two threats, invading the HHS gymnasium this weekend, the Ponies will have a chance to show why.

HHS and Livingston will tip-off tonight at 6 followed by a 2 p.m., start between Havre and Belgrade Saturday. Both games will be held inside the HHS gymnasium.

“Conference games are always big games,” HHS head coach Curt Leeds said. “But these games are really important with only four teams going to divisionals. It’s going to be important to get some wins on your home court early in the season.”

While the Ponies will come into tonight's game with a 1-1 record thanks to a road win over CMR last Saturday, Livingston will bring an 0-3 record into the Pony Corral, despite returning the conference's second-leading scorer from last season in Ladan Ricketts.

Warp may have led Class A in scoring at better than 23 points per game, but Ricketts wasn't that far back after averaging more than 18. Yet, Ricketts’ individual success didn't lead to much team success, not against Havre anyway, as the Ponies beat the Rangers three times last season, including a win in a challenge game for a berth in the Class A state tournament.

This season, Ricketts is picking up where he left off, averaging 18 points and connecting on 54 percent of his 3-point attempts. Yet, after Ricketts, the only other Ranger player to score in double figures is Jordan Lehrer, who averages just north of 10 points a night.

“Ricketts is a very good shooter,” Leeds said. “They have some other very good athletes and some other good shooters, but he is the guy that we are going to be focused on defensively.”

An even bigger problem for the Rangers is the fact that they are surrendering 61 points per game defensively, while scoring fewer than 50 on offense, which is an ominous sign against a Havre team that has the ability to play well on both ends of the floor.

“The big thing for us is going to be defense and rebounding,” Leeds said. “I think that will be it for us all year, because we know that we can score on offense.”

Havre may be the favorite to finish first in the Central A this year, but they are by no means a lock to do so. The Ponies lack an inside presence, especially with big man Zach Hunt sidelined until after Christmas break, and at times it has shown. And with the graduation of its three top big guys from a season ago, rebounding the basketball has proven to be difficult.

The Ponies held their own on the boards against a tough, physical, CMR team, which was a positive sign for Leeds. Yet, the Ponies, who are scoring 54 points a game and allowing 52 points per game, need to up their game offensively as well as defensively.

In two games, Havre has shot just 35 percent from the field and despite having a roster filled with shooters such as Nate Rismon, Jerod Boles, Jabob LaBrie and Nate Korb, the Ponies are making just 28 percent of their shots from beyond the arc.

“I am not really worried about our offense,” Leeds said. “We do want to try to be aggressive and get easy looks, but the points will come.”

For the past three seasons, the Ponies have been among the best teams in the conference, evidenced by their back-to-back state tournament appearances. But, for whatever reason, Belgrade has had their number.

Last season, the two teams met three times, with Belgrade winning twice, including a win in the Central A Divisional championship. The victory in that game gave the Panthers their third straight Central A crown, but if they want to make another state tournament run this season, they will need to do so with a cast that is almost entirely new. Belgrade lost three essential contributors from last year's team in Keldon Lamb, Brayden Konkol and Koby Ruff. Yet, new stars emerge and the Panthers may have found one in Dawson Fowler, who is averaging close to 22 points per game.

Fowler, a sophomore, has shot lights out from beyond the arc, shooting 34 treys and connecting on 19, which is close to five per game. Morgan Eitel, who has played in just three games, is also enjoying a breakout season, averaging 17 points per game for the Panthers, who as a team are averaging 62 points. Trey Layman is also averaging 10 points per game.

“Belgrade lost some talented kids, but they are always consistently good,” Leeds said. “There is a reason they have won the conference the past few years. They just play good, fundamental basketball and they do a great job at holding teams under 50 points.”

Either way, both games figure to be a challenge for Leeds' team and a chance for everyone in the Central A to find out a little bit about where they stand heading into the holiday break.

“I think the boys are excited,” Leeds said. “They want to go out in front of the hometown fans and show them what they can do.”

The Ponies and Rangers will go head-to-head tonight at 6. Saturday, Belgrade and Havre will play at 2 p.m. The Ponies are also home to host Great Falls High on Monday night.