Hi-Line Boys BB: Hawks, Knights win exciting 9C contests

With the postseason creeping closer, Hi-Line high school boys basketball teams are looking to start peaking at the right time. This past week, some teams have continued to roll toward the postseason while others are still searching for answers.

Hi-Line basketball started Thursday with a District 9C matchup between Fort Benton and Chester-Joplin-Inverness. Even though the game was down in Fort Benton, the CJI Hawks walked away with a 57-47 victory.

The Longhorns started the game strong as they took a 14-11 lead in the first quarter. The Hawks responded in the second quarter to take a 24-22 lead into halftime. But the Longhorns came right back at them in the third to tie the game 38-38.

In the fourth quarter, the Hawks dominated to pull away for the win. Blake Harmon led the Hawks with 23 points while Karson Pulst scored 15 points. Cody Evans led the Longhorns with 17 points in the loss.

Also on Thursday, the Box Elder Bears started their week with a non-conference game against the Harlem Wildcats. Even though they were on the road, the Box Elder Bears dominated for an 87-45 victory.

Hi-Line basketball continued Friday with a 9C game between the Chinook Sugarbeeters and the North Star Knights. With home court advantage, the Knights played well to win 68-46.

The Knights started the game strong as they jumped out to a 27-16 lead. By halftime, the Knights had built their lead out to 46-23. In the second half, the Sugarbeeters were unable to come back as North Star cruised to victory. Gavin Spicher led North Star with 21 points while Garrett Spicher scored 12 points. Flint Annis led Chinook with 15 points in the loss.

Down in Big Sandy, the Big Sandy Pioneers picked up an 88-58 win over the Turner Tornadoes. The Pioneers started the game strong as they jumped out to a 19-8 lead in the first quarter. The Pioneers continued to play well as they stretched their lead to 41-22 at the half.

With the big lead, the Pioneers coasted to a victory to start the weekend. Braydon Cline led the Pioneers with 29 points while Lane Demontiney scored 28 points of his own. Ryan Doyle led Turner with 23 points in the losing effort.

Outside of District 9C, Hi-Line basketball continued with Harlem facing Glasgow at home. After losing to Box Elder earlier in the week, the Harlem Wildcats ground it out for a 51-50 victory.

On Saturday, the CJI Hawks survived a tough test at home as they picked up a 49-47 win over the Big Sandy Pioneers. The Pioneers struck first as they took an 11-9 lead in the first quarter. The Hawks responded in the second to take a 22-20 lead into halftime.

The game continued to be competitive as the Hawks only had a 34-33 lead heading to the fourth. But in the final quarter, the Hawks held on to defeat the Pioneers. Pulst and Harmon each recorded 12 points for the Hawks while Cline led Big Sandy with 13 points.

In another competitive game Saturday, the North Star Knights won, 48-41, on the road against the Turner Tornadoes. Turner had the advantage early on with a 13-11 lead in the first quarter. But the Knights responded in the second to take a 29-24 lead into halftime.

In the second half, the Tornadoes kept themselves in the game. However they were unable to close the gap as the Knights held on for the victory. Michael Berg led North Star with 12 points while Doyle scored 13 points for Turner.

Several other 9C games took place Saturday. In Chinook, the Fort Benton Longhorns outlasted the Chinook Sugarbeeters for a 49-38 victory. Over in Hays, the Box Elder Bears dominated the Hays-Lodge Pole Thunderbirds for an 81-31 win. In another Hi-Line game, the Rocky Boy Morning Stars defeated Conrad, 60-42, on the road.

At the end of the weekend, the CJI Hawks stay atop the 9C with a 9-1 record. Box Elder comes in second with a 7-2 record and the Big Sandy Pioneers are third with an 8-2 record. Fort Benton comes in fourth at 6-3 and North Star takes fifth with a record of 4-4. Rounding it out are Turner in fifth, Chinook in seventh and HLP in eighth.

Hi-Line basketball will continue with Big Sandy playing Chinook and HLP playing at Rocky Boy this Thursday.

Thursday

CJI 57, Fort Benton 47

CJI - 11 13 14 19 - 57

FB - 14 8 16 9 - 47

CJI - Blake Harmon 23, Karson Pulst 15, Adam Grammar 8, Nate Nelson 5, Braden Mattson 4, Ryland St. John 2.

FB - Cody Evans 17, L. Arganbright 11, B. Evans 6, B. Grossman 5, K. Diekhans 5, G. Arganbright 3.

Box Elder 87, Harlem 45

Friday

North Star 68, Chinook 46

CHI - 16 7 11 12 - 46

NS - 27 19 13 9 - 68

CHI - Flint Annis 15, Jackson Nordboe 14, Brenden Fetter 8, Levi Jensen 5, Carson Nissen 4.

NS - Gavin Spicher 21, Garrett Spicher 12, Michael Berg 10, Carter Campbell 9, Gavin Clawson 6, Chris Burkhartsmeyer 6, Sebastian Mansfield 2, Dirk Wolery 2.

Big Sandy 88, Turner 58

TUR - 8 14 17 19 - 58

BS - 19 22 25 22 - 88

TUR - Ryan Doyle 23, Caleb Zellmer 17, Trent Billmayer 9, Charlie Calvert 7, JR Brown 2.

BS - Braydon Cline 29, Lane Demontiney 28, Ryder Galbavy 10, Kody Strutz 9, Cooper Taylor 8, Jake Darlington 3, Wylee Snapp 1.

Harlem 51, Glasgow 50

Saturday

CJI 49, Big Sandy 47

BS - 11 9 13 14 - 47

CJI - 9 13 12 15 - 49

BS - Braydon Cline 13m Kody Strutz 11, Wylee Snapp 9, Lane Demontiney 8, Cooper Taylor 4, Ryder Galbavy 2.

CJI - Karson Pulst 12, Blake Harmon 12, Braden Mattson 10, Nate Nelson 8, Adam Grammar 7.

North Star 48, Turner 41

NS - 11 18 9 10 - 48

TUR - 13 11 9 8 - 41

NS - Michael Berg 12, Gavin Spicher 11, Carter Campbell 9, Gavin Clawson 9, Garrett Spicher 5, Chris Burkartsmeyer 2.

TUR - Ryan Doyle 13, Tate Beck 10, Trent Billmayer 10, Charlie Calvert 4, Caleb Zellmer 4.