Harlem, Rocky Boy squads come up short at Northern B

There won’t be an area boys or girls basketball team at this week’s Class B state tournament in Billings, though the Harlem and Rocky Boy boys both got close.

Harlem ended up finishing third at this past weekend’s Northern B boys tournament in Cut Bank, but the Wildcats couldn’t challenge second-place Fairfield for a chance to go to state.

Harlem opened the tournament with a first-round loss to Fairfield, 69-57, where R.J. Ramone scored 19 points. Then however, the Wildcats rallied. They beat Conrad 62-55 Friday behind 23 points from Tyler Cichosz, then they knocked rival Rocky Boy out of the tourney Saturday morning with a 55-53 win in an exciting game.

That win pushed the Wildcats into the consolation game Saturday afternoon, where they blew out rival Malta 72-54 to earn third place. However, only two teams from the Northern B advance to state this season, and when Shelby destroyed Fairfield 50-33 in the championship game Saturday night, the Wildcats season came to an end.

Rocky Boy had a strong season end at divisional as well.

The Stars got 25 points from Joe Demontiney in a 62-52 first-round win over Glasgow Thursday. In Friday night’s semifinals, the Stars fell to Shelby in a close loss, 67-64 as Ben Crebs poured in 23 points. That moved the Stars into the heartbreaking loser-out game with Harlem Saturday morning.

The girls Northern B meanwhile, took place in Wolf Point with the Harlem girls going 0-2. In the first round, the Wildcats lost to Choteau 54-42, then they were eliminated by Cut Bank 40-34 Friday. Taya Trottier scored 21 points in Harlem’s final game of the season.

Malta defeated Fairfield in the girls championship game Saturday night, while Glasgow edged Choteau for third. Malta and Fairfield will join the Shelby and Fairfield boys at this week’s Class B state tourney, which runs Wednesday through Saturday at the First Interstate Bank Arena in Billings.

Northern B Boys

Thursday

Rocky Boy 62, Glasgow 52

Rocky Boy 11 11 17 23 - 62

Glasgow 16 13 14 9 - 52

ROCKY BOY: Joe Demontiney 25; Sean Gibson 18; Teague Stump 7; Ben Crebs 6; Joe Standing Rock 5; Kellen Colliflower 1.

GLASGOW: Keigan Skolrud 15; Trevor Klind 11; Vinny Chappell 10; Hunter Collinsworth 10; Bergen Miller 3; Dalton Sand 2; Riley Smith 1.

Fairfield 69, Harlem 57

Harlem 16 10 13 18 - 57

Fairfield 13 19 13 24 - 69

HARLEM: R.J. Ramone 18; Tyler Cichosz 9; Daniel Lawrence 7; Teagan LeValdo 7; Trent Main 6; Deshon Shambo 4; Jehton Longfox 3; Cassius Johnson 3.

FAIRFIELD: Conor Murray 21; Daniel Faith 15; Guidry Giles 14; Brayden Kolwyck 6; Bryden Batson 5; Cooper Christensen 4; Gavin Mills 4.

Friday

Harlem 62, Conrad 55, lo

Harlem 19 14 13 16 - 62

Conrad 10 13 16 16 - 55

HARLEM: Tyler Cichosz 23; R.J. Ramone 17; Daniel Lawrence 12; Trent Main 3; Teagan LeValdo 3; Jehton Longfox 2; Cassius Johnson 2.

CONRAD: Kade Harwood 18; Jarek Shepherd 15; Ethan Wittmier 10; Devin Baney 8; Caden Huntsinger 4.

Shelby 67, Rocky Boy 64, SF

Rocky Boy 15 11 21 17 - 64

Shelby 19 11 14 23 - 67

ROCKY BOY: Ben Crebs 23; Joe Demontiney 15; Sean Gibson 13; Kellen Colliflower 8; Teague Stump 5.

SHELBY: Rhett Reynolds 25; Taylor Parsons 21; Logan Leck 8; Trenton Emerson 6; Aidan

Northern B Girls

Thursday

Choteau 54, Harlem 42

Friday

Cut Bank 40, Harlem 34, lo

Harlem 9 4 9 12 - 34

Cut Bank 16 5 8 11 - 40

HARLEM: Taya Trottier 21; Chloe Messerly 5; CeCe Helgeson 3; Alaynee Hawley 3; Alaura Hawley 2.

CUT BANK: Sienna Spotted Bear 15; Aliyah Cruz 11; Sadie Pepion 9; Jackie Waller 5.