Big Sky Basketball Preview 2017

The Big Sky Eagle boy’s and girl’s basketball programs won a combined five games out of the 36 regular season games seeing them both finish at the bottom of the Class AA Western Conference.

The Lady Eagles will have the most consistent leader at the head coach position in five years in the return of Michela Anderson. Coach Anderson is no stranger to the Big Sky girls basketball program as she has worked as an assistant for the previous seasons leading up to her taking over at the helm. The Lady Eagles graduated a force in 2017 in Kelsi McEnaney, Chelsea Todd, and Megan Sweeney, but return a healthy group of juniors and seniors. The Big Sky girls have a whole year under coach Anderson with returning senior Sydney Louvar who showed signs of leadership on the court last season, and junior Mia Sandau has had time to gain more confidence in Coach Anderson’s system to control the ball at the top.

Coach Anderson has worked with many of the seniors for the past four years which will give the Eagles the opportunity to add marks to their 2-18 record from the 2016-2017 season. Most of the Class AA Western Conference is in a rebuilding state with the Sentinel Spartans and the Helena Bengals leading the way. The Lady Eagle’s two win’s last season came against non conference teams in the Hamilton Broncs and Stevensville Yellowjackets. Big Sky has the opportunity to pick up wins against conference teams in the Flathead Bravettes, Glacier Wolfpack, Skyview Falcons, and one of two against the Hellgate Knight’s.

In the 2016-2017 season the Big Sky Eagles had the potential to make another appearance at the Class AA State Tournament but struggled to find a leader on the court. The Eagles lost one of the smoothest ball handlers Big Sky has seen in Alex Simmons and a force under the basket in the Nick Yovetich and Josh Malone duo. Graduating a contributing eight seniors in the spring of 2017 Big Sky will need find leadership among the six returning seniors and five juniors. Senior David Gibson and junior Dan Morin will lead the ball up the court for the Eagles, and look to see senior Levi Janacaro use his athletic ability to manipulate the paint and crash the boards.

The Eagles picked up a non conference win over the Stevensville Yellowjackets, and a conference win over the Flathead Braves in 2017, and lost an overtime battle against the Butte Bulldogs. Class AA boy’s basketball is a melting pot in the 2017-2018 season with a variety of teams in both conferences having the potential to dominate.  Big Sky should pick up a non conference win over the Hamilton Broncs and conference wins over the Butte Bulldogs, with games going to the wire against the Flathead Braves and CMR Rustlers.