<a href="http://www.flatheadbeacon.com/articles/article/slide_show_northwestern_a_divisional_basketball_day_two/16303/" title="Slide Show of images from day two of the Northwestern A Divisional tournament.“>Slide Show of images from day two of the Northwestern A Divisional tournament.
A runaway second-half pushed the Polson Pirates past the No. 3 Libby Loggers 55-37, sending the No. 2 Pirates to the championship game.
The Pirates jumped out to an early lead in the fast-paced first quarter, but were soon thwarted by Libby junior Alex Cislo, who scored 10 points in the first six minutes of play, finishing the half with 12.
Polson failed to take advantage of a series of Logger turnovers in the second quarter, allowing Libby to build its lead seven. Run-and-gun offense from both teams had Libby outscore Polson 9-7, bringing the gap to 23-17 going into halftime.
The Logger defense managed to stifle Polson junior guard Kyle Bagnell, the league’s leading scorer coming into the tournament averaging 17.5 points per game. Bagnell ended the first half with three points and finished the game with six.
But a 19-0 run by the Pirates in the third quarter quickly closed that gap, giving Polson a 13-point lead and the momentum heading into the fourth quarter. Junior guard Louis Mohr led the onslaught with eight points, and finished the game with a team-high 16.
The Loggers struggled to score on the Pirates’ tight man-to-man defense, scoring only two free throws during the third quarter.
The Pirates kept accelerating through the fourth quarter and didn’t stop to look back, capitalizing on a Logger man-to-man defense. Junior guard Sheldon Fisher dropped in two shots from outside the arc during the final minutes, nailing down a Pirate win.
Cislo finished as the Loggers’ leading scorer with 18 points.
The Polson Pirates will face the first-seeded Columbia Falls Wildcats in the championship game Saturday evening. The Libby Loggers head to the consolation game afternoon.
<a href="http://www.flatheadbeacon.com/articles/article/game_center_2010_northwestern_a_divisionals/16246/" title="For more Northwestern A Divisional tournament coverage, visit the Game Center: 2010.“>For more Northwestern A Divisional tournament coverage, visit the Game Center: 2010.