Hawks win, Pioneers fall to start Northern C

As the second day of the Northern C Divisional boys basketball tournament took place Thursday at the Four Seasons Arena in Great Falls, District 9C schools Chester-Joplin-Inverness and Big Sandy were looking to start the tournament on the right foot. As the No. 1 seed from the 9C, the CJI Hawks got the week started with a 48-39 win over Winnett-Grass Range. But the Big Sandy Pioneers were not so lucky as they lost, 63-53, to Roy-Winifred.

Big Sandy had trouble containing Roy-Winifred throughout Thursday morning. The Outlaws started the game with six quick points to take the lead. Anthony DeMars got things rolling with a couple of buckets for the Outlaws. After Big Sandy scored its first bucket of the game, Shad Boyce scored six straight points for the Outlaws to stretch their lead to 12-2.

Braydon Cline tried to create momentum for Big Sandy with a 3-pointer but the Outlaws continued to pile up the points. After Rusty Gasvoda scored to cut the deficit to 16-7, the Outlaws went on a 7-0 run for a 23-7 lead to end the first quarter.

The Pioneers and Outlaws exchanged buckets to start the second quarter. The Pioneers eventually got into a little bit of a groove with a couple of buckets. Cline made a layup and one free throw to cut the deficit to 28-18. Over the rest of the half, the Pioneers went on a 7-3 run to cut the Outlaws' lead to 31-25 at halftime.

The Outlaws took back some momentum as they stretched the lead to 35-28 early in the third quarter. Through most of the quarter, the Pioneers kept pace with the Outlaws to stay in the game. But in the final two minutes of the quarter, the Pioneers found momentum with a 6-1 run. Lane Demontiney got things rolling with a couple of buckets during this run. Cline then made a free throw to give Roy-Winifred a 43-41 lead heading to the fourth.

But the Outlaws retook momentum with a 11-1 run to start the fourth. Boyce continued to make plays with five points as he helped the Outlaws stretch their lead to 54-42 halfway through the quarter. Cline knocked down some threes late in the game but the Outlaws held off Big Sandy for the win.

Cline led Big Sandy with 24 points as he shot 7-for-14 from the field and 5-for-9 from three. Demontiney chipped in 12 points in the losing effort. As a team, the Pioneers shot 41.3 percent from the field. Boyce led Roy-Winifred with 21 points as went 6-for-18 from the field and 9-for-15 from the free-throw line.

Big Sandy played Heart Butte in a loser-out game this morning. Roy-Winifred will play Chinook in the semifinals tonight at 4 p.m.

On Thursday night, the CJI Hawks defeated WGR to start the tournament. But the Rams played tough early on as Walker Doman made some free throws and a basket for a 4-0 lead over the Hawks. Karson Pulst got the Hawks on the board with a 3-pointer and Blake Harmon scored to give CJI the lead. A bucket from Kyle Harmon extended the CJI lead to 7-4 with three and a half left in the opening quarter.

The Rams made some baskets down the stretch to cut the CJI lead to 9-8 at the end of the first. Doman then made some free throws to give the Rams the lead to start the second. The Rams and Hawks then fought to a 14-14 stalemate halfway through the quarter.

The Hawks were finally able to grab momentum with a 7-0 run to end the half. Bryce Kammerzell first made a jump shot to give CJI the lead. Blake and Kyle Harmon then knocked down some free throws to further extend the lead. A bucket from Kyle Harmon gave the Hawks a 21-14 lead at the break.

Doman cut into the deficit with a pair of baskets to open the third quarter. But Pulst and Kammerzell responded with some scores of their own to maintain the lead. Over the rest of the quarter, the Hawks held a steady lead while Doman continued his dominant game as he scored all 14 points for WGR in the third. A three from Braden Mattson at the buzzer gave CJI a 36-28 lead heading to the fourth.

The Hawks stretched the lead to 39-28 to start the fourth but the Rams refused to go away. Thanks to free throws from Cy Nunn and Brady Bantz, the Rams cut the deficit to 41-35 with about two and a half remaining. Pulst scored a timely layup to increase the lead but Doman scored to keep pace. But down the stretch, Nate Nelson, Kammerzell and Kyle Hamron made clutch free throws to pull out the win.

Kammerzell and Blake Harmon each scored 12 points to lead CJI to victory. Kyle Harmon chipped in 10 points as he shot 3-for-6 from the field and 4-for-5 from the free-throw line. As a team, the Hawks went 12-for-17 from the charity stripe. In the loss, Doman led the Rams with 28 points as he went 10-for-18 from the field and 8-for-10 from the line.

The CJI Hawks now advance to the semifinals where they will play Belt tonight at 5:30 p.m. at the Four Seasons Arena in Great Falls.

Roy-Winifred 63, Big Sandy 53

RW - 22 9 12 20 - 63

BS - 7 18 16 12 - 53

RW - Shad Boyce 21, Brody Geer 18, Anthony DeMars 10, Ethan Carlstom 4, Carter Pendergrass 4, Blake Donsbach 4, Dylan Heble 1.

BS - Braydone Cline 24, Lane Demontiney 12, Kody Strutz 7, Wylee Snapp 5, Cooper Taylor 2, Rusty Gasvoda 2, Ryder Galbavy 1.

3-pointers: RW 2-6 (Brody Geer 2), BS 6-18 (Braydone Cline 5, Kody Strutz 1). Fouls: RW 16, BS 22. Fouled Out: Wylee Snapp.

CJI 48, WGR 39

CJI - 9 12 15 12 - 48

WGR - 8 6 14 11 - 39

CJI - Bryce Kammerzell 12, Blake Harmon 12, Kyle Harmon 10, Karson Pulst 9, Braden Mattson 3, Nate Nelson 2.

WGR - Walker Doman 28, Cy Nunn 4, Jace Dunkel 4, Brady Bantz 3.

3-pointers: CJI 2-11 (Braden Mattson 1, Karson Pulst 1), WGR 0-11. Fouls CJI 16, WGR 15. Fouled Out: Blake Harmon.