Rams Squeak By Colts To Play In Class B Championship Game

In the second boys semi-final game of the night the Loyola Rams would take on the Colstrip Colts for a chance to play in the Class B state championship game and the Rams cruised to the championship game with a 56-51 win.

Colstip opened up the game by winning the tip off which they turned into the first points of the game. Loyola would score on their first posssesion, sparking an 11-0 run in the next three and half minutes to give the Rams an 11-2 lead. It was Colstips turn to go on a run as the Colts would make it a two point game with just under two minutes left in the opning quarter. The two teams would swap turnovers before Loyola went back on a run to finish the quarter out on top 17-11.

With the first quarter in the books the two teame began to stretch out their offense with the Rams knocking down the frst bucket of the quarter in the opening seconds of the quarter. The Colts where able get ther offense into motion as Colstrip would climbe within three points by the mid way point of the second quarter. Colstrips Kellen Bighead would drop a three pointer at the three minute mark to tie the game at 20, and the Rams countered with a pair of shots to retake the lead to be up one at the end of the first half.

Colstrip recieved the ball to start the second half down 24-23, but it was Loyola who would find the bottom of the bucket first to start the third quarter. The Colts tied the game at 29 with 5:25 left in the third quarter when Bo Vocu knocked down a three pointer that sent him to the free throw line for an and one after the foul. Through the middle of the third quarter the two teams would battle for the lead until just over two miutes left in the third quarter when Loyola stepped out to a six point lead.

With an eight point lead to start the final quarter Loyola slowed the pace of the game down to control the time of possesion to limit the Colts scoring opportunities. Colstrip began to battle back and with three minutes left in the game the Colts had reduced the Rams lead to four points, but Loyola pushed the ball offensively to keep ahead of Colstrip. The Colts would continue to battle as the final seconds of the game ticked down, but Loyola flexed their muscle defensively to hold on for the victory.