The Florence boys basketball program is one of the best in Western Montana. So is the boys program at Bigfork. The two met Saturday in a battle that came down to the final buzzer Florence won, 53-49, after Levi Clagett pulled down a rebound and put it back with 1.3 seconds to move ahead by two points. Bo Zeiler grabbed the inbounds pass after the basket and padded the margin for the win.
“We knew it was going to be a tight match,” said Florence coach Boone Nelson. The two teams won’t meet again until the Western B Divisional tournament in Kalispell.
“It was a great test for us. But we have a strong division and it takes great preparation.”
The preparation even involved a bit of deception on Friday night when Florence played Ronan. Nelson said the Bigfork coaches were at the game scouting Florence and so he changed up the defense against Bigfork. However he didn’t plan on three of his biggest players getting into foul trouble in the second half.
“We had to go back to a zone because of the foul trouble.”
The game was close in the first half but Florence pulled ahead just 18 seconds into the second quarter and then built upon that. Marcus Zeiler sank a trey from the left corner to give the Falcons a six-point margin going into the break. Bigfork won the battle of the rebounds because the big guys from Florence were in foul trouble. But even though they didn’t control the boards, the Falcons were able to convert and built their lead to as many as 11 points midway through the third quarter. But then Bigfork went to work. With Jonathan Landon and Adam Jordt working the perimeter, the Vikings pulled within two points with just under five minutes in the game. Bigfork took the lead when Joseph Potkonjak hit a trey but Dan Mickelson came right back for Florence and hit from inside the paint. Bo Zeiler added to it with a three point shot but then Bigfork came back and tied the game on a Jordt basket with one minute in the game. Clagett and Bo Zeiler came through for the Falcons who are now 10-0.
Clagett finished with 12 points and nine rebounds. Marcus Zeiler had 11 points and Dan Mickelson added 10. Nelson said it was his team’s solid defense and not losing their cool in the final frame that kept their record spotless.
“It’s a loaded division so this is a good test,” he said.
Florence 53, Bigfork 49
Bigfork – Epperly 2, Jordt 7, Potkonjak 11, Landon 16, Gibson 7, Beville 6.
Florence – Bo Zeiler 9, Marcus Zeiler 11, Levi Clagett 12, Cody Liles 2, Jake Christopherson 9, Dan Mickelson 10.
The Falcons rolled over Ronan, 74-40, on Friday. As they typically do, they jumped out to an early lead and then built upon that. Clagett finished with 20 points and Jake Christopherson added 19.
Florence 74, Ronan 40
Florence – Bo Zeiler 8, Collin Jelinski 6, Marcus Zeiler 9, Levi Clagett 20, Ethan Stensrud 2, Cody Liles 2, Jake Christopherson 19, Dillon Christopherson 2, Dan Mickelson 4, Carson Katen 2
Ronan – Duffy 3, E. Misa 15, James 2, Mock 2, A. Misa 8, Cahoon 3, Camel 7.
Hamilton nearly pulled off an upset over Dillon on Saturday. The Broncs played tough against the Beavers but fell, 55-53. The two were tied at the end of the first half and Hamilton took a one-point lead into the fourth quarter. Dillon outscored Hamilton by only three points in the frame but it was enough. Freshman Hunter Omlid tallied 17 points for the Broncs.
Dillon 55, Hamilton 53
Dillon – Simkins 17, LaFrentz 4, Anderson 20, Huber 3, Haverfield 7, Wilson 4.
Hamilton – Josh Heath 5, Bridger Bauder 6, Bret Huxtable 6, Ky Burch 5, Hunter Omlid 17, Jaylen Taggart 6, Carter Kearns 8.
Corvallis fell to Hellgate in non-conference action on Thursday. Hellgate jumped out to an early lead and held on to win, 69-34. Chase Jessop had 11 points to lead the Blue Devils.
Hellgate 69, Corvallis 34
Corvallis – Danner Miller 6, Dillon Lewis 2, Caleb Powell 3, Jacob Geary 6, Tylor Nixon 6, Chase Jessop 11.
Hellgate – Youbles 6, Collins 9, Belcourt 14, Vandam 7, Lunday 10, B. Schenk 4, Ja. Koehn 4, Ju. Koehn 3. C. Schenk 11, Reid 1.
On Saturday, Corvallis lost to Butte Central, 50-34. Central’s Nate McGree dropped in 24 points to lead the Maroons. Corvallis got off to a slow start but came back in the second and third quarters. However a strong fourth quarter by Central stopped the Blue Devils’ run. Chase Jessop had 16 points for Corvallis.
Butte Central 50, Corvallis 34
Corvallis – Chase Jessop 16, Tylor Nixon 10, Caleb Powell 3, Tannon Allred 3, Dillon Lewis 2
Butte Central – McGree 24, Harper 12, Johnston 8, Kump 2, Richardson 2, Holter 2.
Victor has lost their last three games by a total of five points and they were all buzzer beaters. The Pirates lost by one point to Philipsburg on Friday and then to Seeley Swan by three on Saturday.
Victor and Philipsburg battled at Philipsburg in the low scoring game that saw only 24 points total in the first half. Victor had the lead with less than five seconds remaining in the game when Philipsburg’s Jon Keltner hit a shot from beyond the arc to give the win to the Prospectors. Colt Neville had 11 points to lead Victor.
Philipsburg 33, Victor 32
Victor – Austin Lewis 3, Jared Haley 8, Riley Della Silva 5, Logan McKinley 3, Colt Neville 11, Jayce Allred 2.
Philipsburg – Grange 4, Linn 5, Munis 13, Keltner 11.
The Pirates jumped out to an early lead in the District 13C match up in Victor and led by two at the break. But the Blackhawks came back in the third and held a one-point lead with just seconds remaining in the game and Josh Cahoon at the free throw line. He sank both shots and a last second long distance shot by Victor was not good. Seeley won, 44-41. Neville again led the team, this time with 13 points.
Seeley-Swan 44, Victor 41
Seeley Swan – Haley 14, Johnson 2, Robinett 2, Cahoon 4, Miller 8, Haines 10, Billy Bedson 4.
Victor – Austin Lewis 11, Jared Halley 2, JD Kay 2, Riley Della Silva 3, Logan McKinley 2, Colt Neville 13, Jayce Allred 8.
Darby fell to Clark Fork, 55-40. The Tigers led early but couldn’t hold on. John Beckers tallied 18 points to lead Darby.
Clark Fork 55, Darby 40
Clark Fork – Perkins 14, Voll 9, Warren 6, Derveris 2, Kelly 17, Turnbull 7.
Darby – Dylan Parks 5, Zach McCrossin 10, Zack Kline 7, John Beckers 18.
Zach McCrossin and Zach Kline combined for 36 points for the Tigers against Seeley Swan. But it was not enough as the Tigers fell, 68-59, in conference play. A strong second quarter by the Blackhawks proved to be the difference in the game. Darby is now 1-6 in conference play and 3-7 overall.
Seeley-Swan 68, Darby 59
Darby – Dylan Parks 9, Zach McCrossin 24, Zach Kline 12, John Beckers 4, Andy Smith 6, Rylee Smith 2, Cory Valenzono 2.
Seeley – Haley 18, Robinett 2, Cahoon 19, Miller 10, Haines 11, Bedson 3, Sloan 5.