Rocky Boy needs one more win

After last season's heartbreak at the Northern B, the last thing the Rocky Boy Stars wanted to feel is the same pain. Tonight, the Stars have one last chance to avoid it.

After falling to Shelby in the Northern B championship game in Glasgow Saturday night, the Stars will play a challenge game against Fairfield tonight at 7 in the CMR Fieldhouse in Great Falls. The winner advances to the state tournament in two weeks in Missoula, while the loser's season is over.

And the Stars don't want that to happen, not again. And with a third win over Fairfield this season, it won't.

But the Stars had a chance to avoid the challenge game when they took on Shelby in the Northern B title game Saturday night. However, the Coyotes, who haven't lost since the middle of December, were just too good, as former Havre Blue Pony and Shelby head coach Tom Reynolds watched his Coyotes hoist the Northern B trophy after a 65-55 win over the Stars. It was Shelby's second win over Rocky in a championship game in as many weeks, and it came on the strength of a 29-point performance from Aaron White, as well as 25 points and 14 rebounds by MSU-Northern recruit T.J. Reynolds. Ben Iron Eyes scored 26 points for the Stars in the loss. Rocky Boy led 21-10 after the first quarter, but the Coyotes outscored the Stars 55-34 the rest of the way.

Rocky Boy reached the championship game with two dominant performances. On Thursday, the Stars took down Glasgow 68-55, behind 21 points from Kordell Small, 16 from Iron Eyes and 15 by Kendall Windy Boy. Rocky Boy then blasted Choteau 84-54 in the semifinals Friday night. In that game, Iron Eyes and Windy Boy combined for 39 points.

Now, Rocky Boy (18-5) needs one more win to return to the state tournament. The Stars will go for that win tonight at 7 against Fairfield in Great Falls. The Class B state tournament is slated for March 8-10 at Dahlberg Arena in Missoula.

Rocky Boy 68, Glasgow 55

Glasgow 15 11 12 17 – 55

Rocky Boy 12 18 16 22 – 68

Glasgow – Kobe Sibley 9, Alle Boland 3, Bryce Legare 6, Cade Myrick 21, Blaine Myrick 14. Totals 22 2-4.

Rocky Boy – Kordell Small 21, Ben Iron Eyes 16, Olin Arkinson 5, Wyatt Caplette 11, Kendall Windy Boy 15. Totals 26 10-13.

3-pointers – C. Myrick 3, B. Myrick 4; Small 2, Iron Eyes 2, Arkinson, Caplette. Fouls – Glasgow 24, Rocky Boy 9.

Rocky Boy 84, Choteau 54, SF

Rocky Boy 22 18 23 21 – 84

Choteau 12 9 23 10 – 54

Rocky Boy – Kordell Small 12, Ben Iron Eyes 20, Frankie Bacon 17, Blake Cantrell 4, Wyatt Caplette 12, Kendall Windy Boy 19. Totals 34 10-11.

Choteau: Bryce Graham 3, Kyler Crabtree 3, Jonathan Moore 13, Ryan Rogers 3, Sayer Patton 16, Chuck Willekes 6, Oliver Jordan 1, Kolby Kovatch 9. Totals 18 11-18.

3-pointers – Iron Eyes 3, Bacon 3; Gramm, Moore, Rogers, Patton 2, Kovatch 2.

Shelby 65, Rocky Boy 55, 1st

Shelby 10 24 11 - 65

Rocky Boy 21 10 13 11 - 55

Shelby: TJ Reynolds 25, Aaron White 29, Zach Torgerson 3, Kade Leck 3, Logan Watson 5.

Rocky Boy: Kordell Small 8, Ben Iron Eyes 26, Frankie Bacon 5, Olin Arkinson 2, Wyatt Caplette 4, Kendall Windy Boy 10.