Bison Close Out Knights With A Game Of Keep Away

Box Score   

The Hellgate Knights took on the Great Falls Bison for the third time in the last four trips to the Class AA State tournament and the Bison earned a 56-49 win over the Knights with a fourth quarter game of keep away.

In the first quarter both teams felt each other out playing a tight defense and a healthy rotation of players. Hellgate was led by sophomore Bridger Deden who had two points in the paint and went 1-2 from the free throw line. The Bison countered with Hunter McKinney who went 2-2 from three point land, and Kevin Boes who dropped four points in the paint.

With the first quarter a nine all split it came down to a contest between the free throw and three point line between the Great Falls and Hellgate. Blake Thelen for the Bison would be the only Great Falls player to earn a point in the paint, while Kade Lunday and Rollie Worster each had a field goal. Deden knocked down a three to keep the lead for Hellgate, and Worster went to work forcing the ball in the paint to earn himself a pair of trips to the free throw line.

Momentum shifted in the third quarter to the Bison as they were down 22-21 coming out of the half time break. Kendal Kynett led Great Falls scoring six in the paint, dropped a three pointer to lead the Bison to out score the Knights 19-11. Hellgate did not earn a point until 5:46 left in the third when Worster earned a trip to the free throw line off a hard press to the basket.

The fourth quater became a game of keep away for the Bison as they did not press the ball in the final frame, only taking high percentage shots from inside the paint. Hellgate made a run at Great Falls and pulled within four points on two accounts, but the Bison burned the clock down and earned themselves a win to move on to the semi-final game against he CMR Rustlers.

The Knights fall to the consolation side of the bracket with the lose to Great Falls and will face the Glacier Wolfpack Friday at 12:00 pm.