By Ashley Jones
Havre’s pressure and consistent shooting lead Havre High School to victory on Wednesday morning. A 54-37 win had Havre advancing in the Class A tournament. Both teams have met up before in the first round of the class A tournaments.Throughout this tough matchup, the Havre girls were shooting well behind the arc and were causing turnovers for the Hamilton Broncs. In the 1st quarter, the Blue Ponies full court press shut down the Lady Broncs. With Havre’s big lead, Richard Griffin, the Lady Broncs head coach, called for two immediate timeouts. Hamilton trailed by 12 at the end of the first quarter.
The Blue Ponies started off with great defense to begin the 2nd quarter, the Lady Broncs struggled with both press and zone. Havre’s (12) Walker added the 1st points of the 2nd quarter, a 3 pointer. Havre had their first full timeout at 6:30. After their timeout, Walker’s breakaway added 2 more points to the Blue Ponies. Walker then added an additional 3 pointer. Havre was up 30-11 at the end of the second quarter. During the first half, the Broncs were playing well, but with Havre’s consistency it was essential for the Lady Broncs to make their shots fall.
During the 3rd quarter of this matchup, Hamilton’s (10) Layne Kearns was picking up momentum. Kearns was able to get many shots to fall which has added points to the Hamilton Broncs. Kearns, only a sophomore, has taken leadership which benefited the Broncs. Towards the end of the 3rd quarter, Hamilton’s Kearns completed a 3 point play that added on more points for the Lady Broncs. Hamilton was on a mini 5-0 but still ended with a Havre lead of 48-27.
To begin the 4th quarter, the Lady Broncs were on another mini run. Havre’s defensive pressure caused them to foul and that benefited Hamilton by giving them free throw opportunities. Kearns was shooting well from the free throw line which helped the Lady Broncs. Throughout the second half, Hamilton was getting quicker with their offense, which added more points to their team. The Lady Broncs trailed by 17 points at the end of the 4th quarter.
With the entensity done by the Blue Ponies, the Lady Broncs fell short by the end of the Class A girls Basketball Quarterfinals. Throughout the game, Havre did well both offensively and defensively. The Lady Broncs played well and had great ideas, but it was hard for them to convert. Layne Kearns of the Hamilton Broncs helped contribute with her leadership and toughness. Hamilton was able to pick up some momentum throughout the second half, but it wasn’t enough for them to advance to the semifinals. Even though the Lady Broncs did not win in the quarterfinals, they are scheduled to play in the 2021 MHSA Class A Girls Basketball Cons First Round on March 4th.