Hellgate and Big Sky Girls Slow Out Of the Gate

The Class AA Divisional tipped off Thursday in Helena with the boys at Helena High and the Girls at Capital, the Big Sky and Hellgate girls suffered loses in the first round, while the Lady Spartans enjoyed a first round bye.

In the opening game of the girl’s AA Divisional the Hellgate Lady Knights played the second seeded Helena Lady Bengals, and the Lady Bengals knocked off the Lady Knights 70-24. Hellgate held tight in the first quarter despite Helena’s press defense, and Lady Knights were down 19-11 at the end of one. The second quarter is when the things went down hill for the Lady Knights as they scored four points, two from Kylie Lunday in the paint, and two from free throw line by Jada Merseal and Shay Evans.

The second half saw the Lady Knights scoring in the single digits on the half, eight in the third, and a suffocating single point in the fourth quarter.  Most of Helena’s scoring in the second half came from the bench, totaling 18 points on the night. Hellgate played a clean game against the Lady Bengals, only committing 11 fouls on the night, five in the first half. Lunday led the Lady Knights with eight points, with Evans and Marseal contributing six a piece.

Hellgate drops to the consolation side of the bracket with a game against the Big Sky Lady Eagles Friday night at 5:00 at Capital high school in Helena.

The night cap game on day one in Helena saw the Big Sky Lady Eagles facing the Capital Lady Bruins, with the Bruins out pacing the Lady Eagles 63-13. From the tip off it was all Lady Bruins ball as they applied a full court press that forced Big Sky to make low percentage passes, turning the ball over. Capital kept their foot on the pedal in the first half scoring 24 points in the first quarter, and then dropped 26 in the second to lead Big Sky 50-10 at the break.

Things were bleak in the second half for the Lady Eagles, not dropping the ball through the net a single time in the third to go. The fourth brought a fresh set of faces for Capital as Coach Pilgeram began rotating the bench players in who capitalized on their opportunity scoring six points in the fourth quarter, while holding the Lady Eagles to three.

Friday nights dual between Big Sky and Hellgate will be third on the season with teams splitting the regular season match ups.