Chinook, HLP reach Northern C semifinals in thrilling fashion

GREAT FALLS — As the third-place team from the District 9C, few expected the Chinook Sugarbeeters to make a run in the Northern C Divisional tournament, but thanks to clutch play late in games, the Beeters are in uncharted territory — the Northern C semifinals.

After narrowly defeating Denton-Geyser-Stanford Wednesday, the Beeters snuck out another close victory, upending Sunburst in overtime 39-38. The win puts Chinook into the semifinals, where it will face Hays-Lodge Pole for a berth in the championship game. That game will tip off tonight at 5:30.

“I’m ecstatic,” Chinook head coach Mike Seymour said. “I don’t even know what to say about these kids right now, I am just so proud of them.”

After the two teams battled it out for four quarters, the game was tied 36-36. In the extra frame, Sunburst grabbed the lead, but a hoop by Cord Schneider with 2:18 left in the overtime, tied the score at 38-38.

But with 30 seconds left, Sunburst had the ball and a chance to win. Yet the Refiners turned it over, giving the ball back to Chinook. The Beeters pushed the ball to the other end, when it was knocked loose from Isaac Bell. Yet with time running out on the clock, Schneider got a hold of it with just enough time for one last drive to the basket.

Schneider didn’t score, but he was fouled with 0.6 seconds left on the clock. Facing a 1-and-1, the sophomore made the first three throw, which was enough to give Chinook the 39-38 win.

“I was thinking that we could win the game and end it right there,” Schneider said. “It felt pretty good when it went through.”

“All game, I felt like (Sunburst) was getting all the 50-50 balls,” Seymour added. “But right there, we finally got one to go our way.”

The game was close throughout, but Chinook grabbed the early lead after a 3-pointer by Bell on the game’s opening possession. The Beeters led 8-0 before Sunburst got on the board. Yet a 9-2 run by the Refiners got them within one at 10-9 after one quarter of play.

The two teams traded buckets back and forth in the second quarter and when intermission rolled around, Chinook held a slim 21-19 edge. Bell opened the third quarter with a trey, which put the Beeters up five. Yet a 12-2 run by Sunburst left Chinook down 36-31 early in the final stanza. However, the Beeters would rally and down 36-34, Bell scored in the final minute to send the game to overtime.

Schneider led all scorers in the game with 14 points. He also grabbed eight rebounds. Bell added eight points and three steals in the win. Treyton Pickering led Sunburst with 13 points. Michael Buckley contributed with 12.

Chinook and Hays-Lodge Pole will play tonight in the Northern C semifinals at 5:30.

Hays-Lodge Pole 75,

Centerville 37

After losing the District 9C championship game, the Hays-Lodge Pole boys basketball came to to the Northern C with a purpose. And in the Thunderbirds first game, they played like it.

As the two seed from the 9C, the T-Birds took on Centerville, the No. 2 from the 8C. But thanks to constant pressure and a huge gap in talent, HLP cruised to an easy 75-37 victory Thursday in the quarterfinal round at the Four Seasons Arena in Great Falls.

One of the T-Birds biggest strengths all year has been their pressure defense and in the first half, they suffocated Centerville with it, forcing 15 turnovers. Because of that, Centerville attempted just 21 shots, compared to 36 from HLP.

“I think the key for us was our pressure,” HLP head coach Derek Shambo said. “That got us going early. We had that tough loss to Box Elder, but we really came together and got that family atmosphere back and that’s a big key for us.”

It’s one thing to get extra shots, it’s another to make them count and in the first half, the T-Birds did that by knocking down 56 percent of their shots as they built a 25-12 lead after the first quarter.

In the second quarter, the T-Birds continued their offensive onslaught and after back-to-back buckets by Lance Strike, who scored 10 in the first half, HLP led 39-19. Chay-Chaz Shambo hit a 3-pointer moments later and after a steal and score by Tyson Shambo late in the half, HLP led 44-23 after 16 minutes of play.

In the third quarter, Frank Runs Above got in on the act, knocking down two treys to put HLP up 54-23. Jace Shambo hit from deep soon after, making the score 59-23, capping a 15-0 that ended the competitive phase of the game.

Strike finished with a game-high 15 points. Runs Above pitched in with 10, while Tyson Shambo and Jace Shamo both scored eight. Kade Landon led the Miners with 13. Carson McGinness had 11.

“Lance is a great player and he probably should be starting,” Shambo said. “But he wasn’t able to play the first part of the year and I wanted to stick with what got us here. But also, from my perspective, it’s great to have a guy coming off the bench that can score 20 points.”

Hays-Lodge Pole 75, Centerville 37

Centerville 12 11 7 7 – 37

HLP 25 19 22 9 – 75

Centerville – Carson McGinness 11, Kade Landon 13, Cooper Davis 3, Brandon Travis 2, Briggs Judd 8. Totals: 11 11-5.

HLP – Brian Wing Jr. 2, Jace Shambo 8, Tyson Shambo 8, Desmond Shambo 2, Lance Strike 15, Chay-Chaz Shambo 5, Kyle Young Jr. 4, Frank Runs Above 10, David Main 2, Ryle Foote 10, Cleo Cole 2, Colten Werk 1, Chance Main 6. Totals: 33 5-10.

3-pointers – McGinness 3, Judd, Jace Shambo, Chay-Chaz Shambo, Runs Above 2.

Chinook 39, Sunburst 38

Sunburst 9 10 8 9 2 - 38

Chinook 10 10 6 10 3 - 39

Chinook - Hunter Neibauer 2, Kyler Johnson 2, Isaac Bell 8, Riley Kellam 2, Kyle McMaster 2, Brendan Edwards 4, Cord Schneider 14, Wade Schneider 5. Totals: 14 7-18.

Sunburst - Jordan Williams 7, Jeff Owens 3, Treyton Pickering 13, Michael Buckley 12, Dakota Stock 3. Totals: 14 7-18.

3-Pointers: Bell 2, Owens, Pickering, Buckley, Edwards.