Class AA Basketball Standings Going Into February

As we approach the final month of the prep basketball season the schedule heats up as teams make a run for the second annual divisional tournament.

Girls Basketball

How Things Stand
For the first time in close to a decade it is not the Lady Spartans that sit on top of Missoula Class AA girls basketball as the Hellgate Lady Knights sit in the fourth spot of the Western Conference at 2-2, and seventh overall with a 5-4 record. The Lady Spartans have a long month ahead as Sentinel tries to keep themselves in the running for a spot at the divisional tournament with a 1-3 conference record after the first month of conference play, and sitting in the 10th spot overall with a 5-5 record. Big Sky is 13th out of 14 Class AA teams and tied with CMR at 1-9, but the Lady Eagles have yet to pick up a win in conference play.

Remaining Schedule
Everybody has one game against their conference opponents in the remaining weeks of the regular season. The team with the toughest run is Big Sky who will be on the road to play four of their last seven games with trips to both Helena schools. Both Sentinel and Hellgate will have more home games then road games, but the Lady Knights will have to play both Helena and Glacier on the road, while the Lady Spartans will split home and away against the top two teams in the Western Conference.

Boys Basketball

How Things Stand
In the 2018-2019 season it is all about Hellgate High School who have both of the top teams in Missoula, joining their female counter part with the best record. The Knights are sitting at the top of Class AA boys basketball with an 8-1 overall record, and have a perfect record in conference play at 4-0. Sentinel is 3-1 in conference play with their only loss coming to the Knights, putting them in third place in the West. The Spartans are the second highest ranked Western Conference team as they hold down the seventh spot overall, one game behind 6-3 West and Skyview. Big Sky is one spot ahead of the win less Senior Broncs overall in Class AA boys basketball, but like the Lady Eagles have yet to come up with a conference win.

Remaining Schedule
The month of February will set the pieces going into the divisional tournament coming up the first weekend of March in Kalispell. Hellgate has the toughest remaining schedule as they will have four road trips in the final month of the season, with two games against Glacier. The Spartans schedule does not look any easier as they will have to make bus trips for four of their games in the final month of the season. Big Sky will split their schedule between their home fans and the road with a trip to Glacier.