Perfect ending: Havre girls win 2018 Class A state championship

GREAT FALLS -- The Class A state championship game between the Havre Blue Ponies and Hardin Bulldogs was a defensive slugfest. But in the end, the Pony girls just landed a few more punches.

In an intense battle that went down to the wire, Havre defeated Hardin 42-35 Saturday night at the Four Seasons Arena in Great Falls to win the 2018 Class A girls state championship. It also put the finishing touches on a perfect 24-0 season, the first ever undefeated season in the history of Havre basketball.

"It's awesome, it's amazing," Havre senior Kaylee Nystrom said. "I have never had this feeling before, but I am liking it."

Nystrom should feel good, because without her and the play of fellow senior guard Marca Herron, the Ponies might have come up short. Havre led by one to open the fourth quarter, 24-23, when the two seniors took over.

Herron scored the last few points of the third quarter to give the Ponies a one-point edge with eight minutes to go and early in the final stanza, she scored on an up-and-under to put Havre up 27-23. After another free throw from Herron, a stop and a fast break set up the biggest shot of Nystrom's career.

After the ball got passed ahead to Danielle Wallace, Nystrom was wide open in the corner and the defensive stalwart buried a 3-pointer that seemed to blow the roof off the Four Seasons. At that point, Havre led 31-23 with 5:22 to play.

"Holy cow, I just had to go up with it," Nystrom said. "I just knew I had to be confident in myself. I trusted it to go in and it did."

Nystrom's dagger from the corner was huge, but it wouldn't be the last big shot by a Havre senior in the fourth quarter. Less than two minutes later, it was Herron's turn to take a clutch shot and unlike her freshman season, when she missed a game-tying three against Hamilton in the state semis, Herron's 3-pointer hit nothing but net, giving the Ponies a 36-25 lead with just over four minutes remaining.

"I was a little nervous because I was a little too open," Herron said. "I thought to myself I better make this. But once I caught the ball, my feet were in rhythm and I just let it fly."

With that 3-pointer, Herron finished the game with 11 points, 10 of which came in the second half, including what she called the biggest shot of her life.

"I would say so," Herron said. "That is a little payback for Hamilton I would say."

Down 11 points, the Bulldogs continued to fight and pulled within six points, 36-30 with just three minutes remaining. Yet, the Ponies defense wouldn't allow a comeback. In fact, Havre hardly allowed Hardin to make a basket. For the game, the Bulldogs shot just 15.9 percent and connected on just 7-of-44 shot attempts. Havre, on the other hand, was 11-of-25 for the game and 18-of-32 from the free throw line.

While Herron finished with 11 points, four rebounds and three assists, sophomore Kyndall Keller also had a stellar game, scoring 12 points, including 10 in the first half to lead all scorers. Nystrom pitched in with six points, five rebounds and three assists. Wallace also added seven points and four rebounds.

"I feel great, I feel awesome," Keller said. "It's crazy. It has been so much fun. I can't believe we actually did it."

The seven-point win completed an incredible run for the Ponies that set several school records. The 2018 Havre girls are the first and only basketball team, boys or girls, to go undefeated. The 24 wins also set a school record and the 24-game winning steak is another mark set by one of the greatest basketball teams in HHS history.

"I love these kids, I am proud of them," HHS head coach Dustin Kraske said. "The city of Havre was here. Our community supports us, our parents are behind us, the kids know their roles, we are really excited."

Asked where his team ranked among the other great teams in the history of Havre basketball, coach Kraske, a two-time state champion on the sidelines, replied: "Near the top, I hope. We love Havre High, we have had some good history there, in girls basketball particular. We have been good for a long time."