Hi-Line Boys: Big Sandy sweeps District 9C games

After taking a couple of weeks off for the holidays, local boys basketball teams were back in action this past week and there were a number of important games on the docket.

The action got underway Tuesday when Chinook traveled to Harlem to take on the Wildcats in the renewal of an old Class B rivalry. However, it was the Sugarbeeters that came out on top by the final score of 79-45.

While Chinook opened its week with a non-conference tilt against Harlem, the rest of the District 9C waited for Friday to get back on the floor and one of the top teams in the district, Hays-Lodge Pole, paid a visit to Turner and routed the Tornadoes by a score of 91-61. Jeremy Pretty Paint led the way for the Thunderbirds who scored 27 points in the second quarter and 26 in the third of a 30-point win. Shane Kimmel had a big game in the loss for Turner with 34.

Elsewhere in the 9C Friday was Big Sandy playing host to North Star and after scoring in double figures in all four quarters, the Pioneers knocked off the Knights 60-48. Ryan Roth scored 21 points to pace the Pioneers. Brock Proulx also added 16. Caden Rettig was the top scorer in the loss for the North Star, as he finished with 15.

Also Friday night, the Fort Benton Longhorns put their undefeated season on the line and thanks to a 43-31 win over Box Elder, they improved to 4-0 in conference play. Garrett Diekhans had 16 to lead the way for Fort Benton. Quinten Limberhand had seven for Box Elder.

After knocking off the Bears, Fort Benton welcomed HLP into their gym Saturday night and for the second straight night, the Longhorns won the game going away, knocking off the T-Birds 66-30 in an impressive defensive effort. Hayden Diekhans was the higher scorer this time around for the Longhorns, as he finished with 15 points. Garrett Diekhans added nine and for the T-Birds, Gilbert Snow was the top scorer with 10.

The win improved Fort Benton to 5-0 on the season and Chinook was looking to match that mark against Turner Saturday night and the Beeters did just that, cruising to a 77-19 win over the Tornadoes. Chinook and Fort Benton are now tied atop the 9C standings with identical 5-0 records in the district. Both teams are 8-0 overall as well.

Following its loss to Big Sandy Friday, North Star returned home to do battle with Chester-Joplin-Inverness Saturday and in that contest, the Knights ended up victorious by the score of 56-38. Bailey Spicher netted 16 in the win for the Knights, going along with the 13 points that Rettig contributed. Spencer Richter, Tyler Wanken, Noah Bender and Kyle Harmon each had six points each in the loss for the Hawks.

While the Pioneers came into the weekend winless in the 9C, Big Sandy got its win Friday, then followed it up with another Saturday against Box Elder. Big Sandy escaped with a 55-47 win that moves the Pioneers into a tie for fourth place at 2-3 with the Bears. North Star is one game back at 2-4.

In Class B, Rocky Boy followed up a loss to Havre last Thursday with a 63-36 win over Malta in Rocky Boy last Friday. On top of that, Harlem also rallied from its loss Friday. The Wildcats knocked off Glasgow 69-66 Friday night thanks to 35 points from RJ Ramone and 18 from Lane Allen.

Friday

Hays-Lodge Pole 91, Turner 61

HLP 16 27 26 22 - 91

Turner 16 15 22 9 - 61

Turner - Austin Welsh 11, Jack Harmon 5, Shane Kimmel 34, Trevor Kimel 4, Shay Humphreys 3, Tracer Heilig 4.

HLP - E. Granados 2, Gilbert Snow 8, Jeffrey Stiffarm 12, Jeremy Pretty Paint 17, D. Shambo 17, Kenneth Blackcrow 12, Maurice Cliff 7. Desmond Shambo 6, W. Briningwood 8, J. Brockie 2.

Big Sandy 60, North Star 48

North Star 8 14 13 13 - 48

Big Sandy 14 16 19 11 - 60

North Star - Austin Hansen 4, Bailey Spicher 10, Caden Rettig 15, Garrett Spicher 6, Hayden Massar 11, Gavin Spicher 2.

Big Sandy - Brock Proulx 16, Ryan Roth 21, Kody Strutz 4, Crawford Terry 8, Kade Strutz 11.

Fort Benton 43, Box Elder 31

Box Elder 6 11 4 10 - 31

Fort Benton 10 18 7 8 - 43

Fort Benton - Damon Bird 9, Jace Thompson 2, Hayden Diekhans 4, Garrett Diekhans 15, Logan Giles 7, Billy Lillery 2, Max Lane 4.

Box Elder - J. Jilot 2, K. Duran 3, K. Sutherland 4, M. Rosette 3, Q. Limberhand 7, C. Burns 6.

Harlem 69, Glasgow 66

Harlem 14 14 19 22 - 69

Glasgow 22 13 18 13 - 66

Glasgow - Kobe Sibley 7, Alec Boland 19, Tim Wageman 15, Chevy Boos 19, Tayson Hoerster 6.

Harlem - RJ Ramone 35, Tyler Cichosz 7, Daniel Lawrence 9, Lane Allen 18.

Saturday

North Star 56, Chester-Joplin-Inverness 38

CJI 8 9 12 9 - 38

North Star 16 8 18 14 - 56

North Star - Austin Hansen 5, Bailey Spicher 16, Caden Rettig 13, Gavin Spicher 2, Hayden Massar 8, Rhett Wolery 2, Garrett Spicher 7, Payne Ditmar 3.

Chester-Joplin-Inverness - Jackson Diemert 4, Andrew Woods 3, Kyle Harmon 6, Tyler Wanken 6, Spencer Richter 6, Evan Dahinden 3, Jarret Green 4, Noah Bender 6.

Fort Benton 66, Hays-Lodge Pole 30

HLP 6 9 9 6 - 30

Fort Benton 15 22 19 10 - 66

Fort Benton - Damon Bird 5, Jace Thompson 1, Stephen Gannon 4, Ethan Pfile 7, Jace Pimperton 2, Max Lane 7, Logan Giles 7, Billy Lillery 9, Garrett Diekhans 9, Hayden Diekhans 15.

Hays-Lodge Pole - Gilbert Snow 10, Jeffrey Stiffarm 1, Jeremy Pretty Paint 3, W. Bringingwood 2, Deshon Shambo 2, James Brockie 4, Siris Grandchamp 2, Kyle Black Crow Jr. 6.