HHS boys suffer Central A heartbreakers

There is just something about when Belgrade and Havre get together in boys basketball; the two teams have a habit of playing great games.

And the Central A rivals played another Saturday in Belgrade.

Unfortunately, this time around, it was the Blue Ponies who lost the game on a buzzer beating 3-point shot. Havre fell 48-46 to the Panthers, one day after losing on the road to Livingston, 56-49.

Even though the weekend turned out to be a dud for the Ponies, who are now 8-4 overall and 4-2 in the Central A, at one point it appeared that HHS would come away from their two-game road trip with at least a split.

That's because after a furious fourth-quarter comeback at Belgrade that saw the Ponies whittle an 11-point lead down to two points with less than a minute left, Dane Warp imposed his will. In fact, he started doing it from the jump in the third quarter, as he scored 17 of his game-high 19 points in the second half.

Yet, his three most exciting points of the game came with just six seconds remaining. With the Ponies trailing 45-43, Warp buried a clutch trey that gave HHS the lead, 46-45 with 6.1 on the clock. The shot was eerily similar to a game-winner he nailed in overtime to slay the Panthers in Havre back in December. And with time left for just one more shot, it appeared the senior had done it again.

However, six seconds is more than enough time to create a good look at the basket and even though it wasn't necessarily high percentage, a shot attempt was all Dawson Fowler needed.

With time running out, Fowler pulled up well beyond the 3-point arc and heaved a game-winning shot attempt that eventually dropped in to break the hearts of Havre and give Belgrade the critical two-point triumph.

"Dane hit a clutch shot there in the corner," HHS head coach Curt Leeds said. "And we played pretty good defense. I guess our biggest mistake was allowing their best player to catch the ball. But when he shot it was 27-feet from the basket."

The win was huge for the Panthers and the loss equally costly for HHS. Havre came into the weekend with a one-game edge in the conference standings, but after dropping consecutive games, for the first time all season, the Ponies are now tied with Belgrade for first place at 4-2. And thanks to a win by Browning over Livingston Saturday, which put both teams at 3-3 in the conference, a single game now separates four of the five teams with two games to go.

"We are still in good position," Leeds said. "We still have the tiebreaker on Belgrade and Browning. It was a long bus trip home after a loss like that."

Although the end of the game is what will be remembered, if truth be told, Belgrade set the stage by dominating the first three quarters of play. Warp was limited in the first half and managed just two points, which allowed the Panthers to build a 20-9 halftime lead.

"We just really struggled in the first half offensively," Leeds said. "They came out in a 1-2-2 and we just weren't very patient and didn't get good shots."

Havre got things going on offense in the third quarter, but Belgrade matched Havre point for point and by the end of the third quarter, the Ponies hadn't gained any ground and still trailed by 11 at 31-20.

However, in the fourth, the tide finally started to turn. When it was all said and done, HHS would pour in 26 points over the final eight minutes of play and when Nate Korb connected on a free throw with 45 seconds left, the Ponies were within two at 45-43. Yet, as Fowler made sure, Havre's comeback attempt, ultimately fell short.

Before traveling to Belgrade, HHS stopped first in Livingston Friday to take on the Rangers. And in a battle of the top two scorers in Class A basketball - Warp and Ladan Ricketts - it was clear that it was going to be Ricketts' night.

The two teams both came out strong on the offensive end of the floor and the end of the first quarter, the scored was tied at 13-13. But in the second, powered by Ricketts, the Rangers outscored Havre 16-8 and built a 29-21 halftime lead.

Havre pulled within four after three quarters, but in the end, the Ponies simply couldn't do enough to slow down Ricketts, who finished with a game-high 33 points to lead the Rangers to victory. Warp managed 18. Each player was the only one on his team to score in double figures.

The Ponies will now turn their attention away from the conference race for a week as they get set to take on Great Falls High Thursday in Great Falls. The winner of the game will take home the Ole Goat trophy. Havre will then return home for the first time in three games next Saturday, when they will host CMR.

"It was a tough trip," Leeds said. "But we just have to come back and get better. We need to do a better job of getting better shots on offense and being more patient. But we're still right where we want to be."

Livingston 56, Havre 49

Havre 13 8 17 11 - 49

Livingston 13 16 13 14 - 56

Havre - Jerod Boles 8, Nate Rismon 7, Nate Korb 2, Dane Warp 18, Jacob LaBire 6, Zach Hunt 2, Michael Loftus 6.

Livingston - Jordan Leher 8, Rydell Floyd 7, Ladan Ricketts 33, Sterling Jay 6, Jakim Ricketts 2.

Belgrade 48, Havre 46

Havre 6 3 11 26 – 46

Belgrade 13 8 10 17 – 48

Havre - Jerod Boles 2 0-0 6, Nate Rismon 3 0-0 8, Nate Korb 0 4-6 4, Dane Warp 7 3-4 19, Jacob LaBrie 1 0-0 3, Isaac Warp 1 0-0 3, Ivar Aageson 1 0-2 3, Zach Hunt 0 0-2 0, Michael Loftus 0 0-0 0. Totals: 15 7-14 46.

Belgrade - Dawson Fowler 5 0-0 12, Brock Salsbury 2 0-0 5, Kaden Arneson 0 0-0 0, Matt Walker 0 0-0 0, Tanner Campbell 1 2-4 4, Morgan Eitel 6 6-12 18. Totals: 15 15-25 48.

3-point goals: Hav 9 (Boles 2, Rismon 2, D. Warp 2, LaBrie 1, I. Warp 1, Aageson 1), Bel 3 (Fowler 2, Salsbury 1). Fouls: Hav 17, Bel 12. Fouled out: Rismon. Technicals: none.