Playing their fourth quality opponent in seven days, the second-ranked Wolfpack fell hard against No. 5 Missoula Hellgate, losing 53-32 in Missoula on Jan. 31. It was an uncommon performance for a team averaging 64 points per game. Glacier dropped to 11-3 overall and 4-2 in conference with six regular season games remaining, including the second cross-town installment on Feb. 21.
Hellgate is tied atop the standings with Helena Capital. Both teams are 6-1 in conference. The Knights have one of the best players in the state, Tres Tinkle, the son of Montana Grizzlies head coach Wayne Tinkle. Tinkle is third in Montana in scoring, averaging 19, and fourth in rebounds, averaging eight.
Glacier has had a tiresome schedule recently, playing both Helena teams and an exciting cross-town contest. The Pack routed Helena High 61-32 but the following day, Capital dealt Glacier its first Western AA defeat and snapped a seven-game win streak, 58-52. On Jan. 29, Glacier needed every bit of energy to outlast Flathead, 57-43.
The Braves (8-5, 3-3) are fourth in the standings behind third-place Glacier. Flathead lost a close battle at home against Hellgate, 61-56, recently.
The Wolfpack played Missoula Sentinel on Feb. 5 after the Beacon went to print. Flathead played Big Sky.
Great Falls C.M. Russell (12-3, 5-2) was ranked atop last week’s Class AA basketball poll, but dropped two conference games over the weekend. Third-ranked Billings West (12-2, 7-1) beat CMR 72-53, and Billings Skyview (12-2, 6-1), also ranked third, defeated CMR, 48-37.
Daine Muller of Skyview leads the state in scoring with 20.7 on average. Joey Marzion from CMR is second, 20.1 ppg. Flathead’s Garth West is third in the state in rebounds, averaging more than eight per game. Glacier’s Ryan Edwards is fifth, 7.7 on average.