Copperheads Bite Rams, Loyola Remains #1

A battle for the number one spot in Class B Western Conference Boys basketball went down in Anaconda Tuesday night between the Loyola Rams and the Anaconda Copperheads with Anaconda picking up a 64-60 win.

Boys Box Score  

Two of Montana’s toughest Class B boy’s basketball teams went head to head in The Snake Pit in Anaconda and it proved be a good show. Both teams played with passion with the emotions running high on both sidelines. As expected by two top teams, the Rams and the Copperheads finished each quarter in regulation time tied.

With the game tied at 27 at the break the Copperheads came out running in the third quarter to break out a lead that at one point was as much as 10 points. Tensions running high as Loyola made their comeback Jack Lincoln quickly found himself in foul trouble and Anaconda’s Trent Mikalatos kept the trash talk flowing.

Mid way through the fourth quarter pandemonium broke out in the Snake Pit as the Copperheads committed a trio of technical’s, Bobby Swainston getting hit the hardest with a T for taking a swing on Loyola’s Jacob Hollenback, resulting in Swainston being ejected from the game. Soon after Lincoln found himself on the bench as he would foul out with 48.6 left in regulation.

With their team leader on the bench Loyola Senior Scotty Twite would force an overtime hitting a last second three pointer. The Rams came out on the move in the extra frame scoring the first four points, but that would be the extent of their overtime scoring as Anaconda tightened the screws and forced the Rams to commit fouls, winning the game from the free throw line.

The Rams remain on top of the Class B Western Conference despite the loss because Loyola had beat the Copperheads in Missoula earlier in the season by 10 points. Loyola will head to Bigfork for a make up game Friday in hopes pull off a first ever win on the Vikings court and finishing out their regular season on a positive note.

You can catch both the Rams and Breakers games on the Missoula Prep Sports Network Live Stream link.