While the basketball season is finished for most of the valley’s teams, two teams, Florence girls and Hamilton boys, will play one more weekend. This is the final hurrah for these teams this season with a chance to bring back a state championship.
The Lady Falcons will be playing at the Class B State tournament in Belgrade. They will play Three Forks at 1:30 on Thursday, March 7. Florence won the Western B Divisional two weeks ago with a win over Missoula Loyola.
Three Forks is the No. 3 seed from the southern division and the defending state champion. They defeated Big Timber for the chance to go to the state tournament. They are led by Paeton Ohs and Kyle Olson who scored 35 points
Columbus won the Southern Divisional with a 43-34 win over Forsyth. Both Columbus and Forsyth are relatively young teams. Forsyth’s top player is Lindsey Hein who stands 6’5”. Columbus is a smaller speedy type of team.
The Northern B Division will also send four teams to the state tournament. Harlem finished first with a 46-43 win over Wolf Point. Fairfield defeated Glasgow, 44-30, for third place.
The Hamilton boys will play in Great Falls at the Four Seasons Arena in the State A championship. The Broncs, the No. 2 seed from the West, will play Park County, the No. 3 seed from the East at 6:30 on Thursday. Hamilton finished third in the state last year. Livingston advanced to the state tournament with a 56-36 win over Laurel.
Butte Central, the team that topped Hamilton in the Western A Division, will play Laurel, the No. 4 seed from the East. Hardin, the No. 2 seed from the East will play Browning, the No. 3 seed from the West and finishing out the first day will be a match between Billings Central and Frenchtown. Hardin is the returning state champion.