Thanks for years of basketball scorekeeping

from Carol Bymaster Gabrielsen

Portrait of a Pony

If you have ever attended the 9C District Basketball Tournament in Havre, you have, no doubt, seen Todd Donoven, sitting at the scorer's table.

Todd has been keeping basketball scorebooks in Havre for the past 35 years. The 9C Tournament this past weekend was his final time for keeping the official scorebook.

Todd has been around basketball and scorebooks pretty much his whole life. His dad kept the books for KG until Todd and his sisters graduated. Todd started keeping the books at MSU-Northern in 1988 and did so for 15 years. He took a couple years off to watch his own kids compete in junior high but was then asked to start keeping the books for Havre High School. He started at HHS in 2003 and has been doing them ever since.

He started keeping the books for the 9C Tournament back when it was still being held at Montana State University-Northern and has continued to keep books for that tournament all these years.

When I asked Todd if he had any favorite memories and what he liked most about keeping the books, he said, "Just watching the kids. I love basketball, so that made it easy. I've seen blowouts and overtime games, buzzer beaters and near misses. I think the North Star buzzer beater (on Saturday) ranks very close to the top of the games."

Todd has watched a lot of kids grow up over the years. He kept the books when Kari (Fike) Filius was playing for Northern, and he kept the books when her daughters were playing for Havre High.

Keeping the official scorebook takes a lot of attention, especially when things are happening so quickly. Todd's been doing it for so long that it's second nature for him. He can watch and enjoy the games, while keeping the books accurate. He did admit that he gets excited every once in a while, like a normal fan, but he just can't say anything. He's also a little superstitious and puts the blame for one certain loss on himself. When Sherry Winn was coaching at Northern, Todd always used the same pens throughout the whole season. He forgot his pens one day. That game went into overtime, and Northern lost. That was the only time Coach Winn lost at home while coaching for Northern.

Todd has had a front-row seat to so many games, and he has seen and heard things that most of us don't ever know even happened. He says, "Some things were funny, some were sad, and some were unbelievable, but most were good." He's worked with a lot of good coaches and good refs at both the college and high school levels, and he's had fun working with them.

Todd sums it up with such a positive outlook. "I'm just glad I had the opportunity to do this and for so long. I could keep going, but figured it's time to let someone else have the opportunity I had. I'm sure I'll miss it, but now I can sit back, watch a game, and enjoy some popcorn. It's been a fun ride!"

Todd is looking forward to spending more time with his family and watching his grandson in Butte compete in sports. Although I am very happy for him, I'm sure going to miss looking across the court and seeing him at the scorer's table.

Thank you, Todd, for loving basketball enough to dedicate 35 years to keeping the books for this community and the area teams. You are greatly appreciated.