Blue Ponies look to ascend in Class A basketball

After missing last season's Class A State Tournament, the Havre High boys basketball team will look to rectify that this winter. But if they are going to do that, the Blue Ponies will have to use the regular season to get themselves ready for the postseason.

The Ponies open the season with a road game against East Helena Friday. The following day, Havre will host Lockwood for its home opener of the season. Then on Dec. 12, the Ponies will head on the road to face Malta.

Dec. 15 and 16, the Ponies will host the East/West Showdown at Havre High Gymnasium. During that tournament, the Ponies will play Whitefish and Loyola. Havre will wrap up December with a road game against Browning and then a home game against Laurel.

The Ponies open January with road games against Hardin and conference foe Miles City. Then Jan. 13, the Ponies will head on the road for a conference game against Glendive. The following weekend, the Ponies will host conference games against Sidney and the defending state champion in Lewistown.

Havre will wrap up January with home games against conference foe Miles City and then Billings Central. The Ponies will open February with home games against conference rival Glendive and then Malta. Havre will close out the regular season on the road with conference games against Lewistown and Sidney.

The Ponies will open the postseason with the Eastern A Divisional Tournament in Billings from Feb. 22-24. They hope to play well there in order to qualify for the Class A State Tournament in Butte March 7-9.

If the Ponies are going to make a run, they will need their best players to perform well this winter.

The Ponies only graduated two seniors from last year's team, so they will have many returners this winter. Shane Patacsil and Tre Gary will look to make an impact once again for the Ponies while players such as Carter Spangler and Jackson Headdress will need to contribute to help the Ponies accomplish their goals this winter.

The HHS boys basketball team will begin the season on the road against East Helena Friday at 5 p.m.