Harlem slips by Poplar 55-53 in final seconds, own top spot in the District 2B

The Harlem Ladycats sit atop the District 2B following a dramatic 55-53 come from behind win over the Poplar Indians Saturday afternoon to secure the top spot in the conference.

Harlem defeated the District 1B Shelby Coyotes on Friday 51-42 finish the first half of the schedule 4-0 in District 2B play and 9-1 overall. Harlem is also 3-0 against the District 1B.

The Turner Tornadoes bounced back from a tough 82-44 loss to the Box Elder Bears Thursday to dismantle the Big Sandy Pioneers 62-20 to finish the first half of the conference schedule 5-2, good for third in the District 9C. The Tornadoes are 7-3 overall.

The Chinook Sugarbeeters ended a five game losing streak with a huge fourth quarter to earn a 40-38 win over the North Star Knights. Saturday the girls fell to a talented Fort Benton Longhorn team 60-27.

The Hays/Lodge Pole Thunderbirds fell Friday to the Roy/Winifred Outlaws 59-38. Saturday they were defeated by the Box Elder Bears 74-34.

The Thunderbirds picked up their second conference win Monday with a 54-25 win over Big Sandy. The Thunderbirds along with the Sugarbeeters and the North Star Knight all sit at 2-5 in the District 9C.

Friday in Harlem the Ladycats used a 15-3 second quarter to propel themselves to a 29-14 halftime lead over the Coyotes. Shelby returned the favor in the third narrowing the Harlem lead to 32-26.

The Ladycats closed out with a 19-16 fourth quarter advantage to win 51-42. Senior Mystic

Striker and sophomore Autumn Eagleman each scored 11 in the win.

Saturday the unbeaten Poplar Indians were in town with the top spot in the District 2B on the line.

Striker scored eight of Harlem's 11 first quarter points and Poplar held a 20-11 lead early. The Indians extended the lead in the second quarter taking a 32-22 halftime lead.

Strker, sophomore L'Tia Lawrence and junior Autumn Eagleman all connected from long range as Harlem began to mount a comeback. The Ladycats outscored the Indians in the third 16-10, trimming the deficit to 42-38 with eight minutes remaining.

The Ladycats continued their march down the comeback trail in the fourth quarter getting huge three point buckets from Lawrence and junior Skylee Dirden as they continued their fight for the conference lead.

Harlem battled their way back and trailed 53-52 with time running down when Eagleman drained the game winning bucket with less than four seconds left in the game.

Harlem secured their come from behind 55-53 win, knocking off the previously unbeaten Indians and taking their place at the top of the District 2B.

Striker led the Harlem attack with 18 markers while Dirden finished with 12, Lawrence added 9 and Eagleman eight, including the final three.

The Turner Tornadoes responded to their loss Thursday against Box Elder by scoring early and often in a lopsided win against Big Sandy Friday.

Sophomore Sarah Billmayer scored 12 first quarter points, leading the Tornadoes to a 20-2 lead entering the second. Billmayer added 12 more in the third as the Tornadoes cruised to their fifth District 9C win.

Billmayer led the offensive attack for the Tornadoes with 26 points in the win. Junior Rylee Conlan added 11 for Turner.

The Hays/Lodge Pole Thunderbirds finished the first half of their conference schedule the same way they started it, with a win. The Thunderbirds defeated Big Sandy 54-35, no stats were available at press time.

The Sugarbeeters got back in the win column Friday night at home against the North Star Knights.

Junior Kourtney Hanson scored the first points of the game and junior Rachel Gunderson dropped in a free throw as Chinook led early 6-0.

Hanson scored the first points of the second as well giving the 'Beeters a 8-3 lead. She later scored inside to give Chinook a 13-7 advantage bu the Knight scored the final eight points of the half to lead Chinook 15-13 at the break.

North Star controlled the action in the third quarter extending their advantage to 23-17 entering the fourth quarter.

Gunderson got the 'Beeters started in the fourth with two points inside and the senior Hailey McMaster exploded as she energized the 'Beeter offense with 11 straight points.

McMaster brought Chinook back within two, 23-21 scoring off an offensive rebound. She then made six straight free throws before knocking down a triple for a 30-26 'Beeter advantage.

The two teams would trade free throws and baskets down the stretch and Chinook held a 39-38 lead let when Hanson secured the win with a free throw late and a 40-30 Chinook win.

McMaster finished with 15 points, Hanson added nine and Gunderson eight.

Girls Basketball Box Scores

Harlem 51 Shelby 42

Shelby 11 3 12 16 - 42

Harlem 14 15 3 19 - 51

Shelby: Brooke Luly 0 0-0 0, Abbey Aklestad 3 13-14 21, Bailey Johnson 0 1-2 1, Skyler Martin 0 1-2 1, Briene Aklestad 1 3-6 5, Madison Underdahl 5 0-2 10, Maddy Hellinger 2 0-0 4. Team Totals 11 18-26 42.

Harlem: Kailee Henry 2 0-0 5, Payton Healy 2 2-2 6, Mystic Striker 4 2-4 11, Skylee Dirden 2 2-2 6, L'Tia Lawerence 4 3-3 11, Autumn Eagleman 2 0-0 6, Taeshon Scheaffer 2 1-2 6. Team Totals 18 10-13 51.

Three Point - Shelby 2 (Abbey Aklestad 2), Harlem 5 (Autumn Eagleman 2, Mystic Striker 1, Kailee Henry 1, Taeshon Scheaffer 1); Total Fouls - Poplar 14, Harlem 19; Fouled Out - Harlem (Autumn Eagleman).

Box Elder 82 Turner 44

Turner 12 15 9 8 - 44

Box Elder 27 17 25 13 - 82

Turner: Raegan Conlan 3 4-6 10, Sarah Billmayer 5 4-7 15, Rylee Conlan 1 0-0 2, Melanie Watkins 1 0-0 3, Brandy Calvert 3 3-4 9, Laci Maloney 1 0-0 2, Brooke Reed 2 0-2 4, Shyan Krass 6 1-3 13, Lacey Hickel 0 0-0 0. Team Totals 17 16-29 51.

Box Elder: Sarah Parisian 2 0-0 6, Nikayla Anderson 1 0-0 2, Eve The Boy 4 1-2 9, Maia Henderson 1 0-0 3, Maddie Wolf Chief 7 0-0 14, Lillian Gopher 7 3-4 18, Zayna Henderson 0 0-0 0, Joelnell Momberg 2 0-0 5, Tallen Oats 0 0-0 0, Cecilia Vielle 9 4-6 25. Team Totals 33 8-12 82.

Three Point - Turner 2 (Raegan Conlan 1, Sarah Billmayer 1), Box Elder 8 (Cecilia Vielle 3, Sarah Parisian 2, Maia Henderson 1, Lillian Gopher 1, Joelnell Momberg 1); Team Fouls - Turner 15, Box Elder 19; Fouled Out - Turner (Raegan Conlan).

Chinook 40 North Star 38

North Star 3 12 8 15 - 38

Chinook 6 7 4 23 - 40

North Star: Katelyn Hansen 3 5-8 11, Paige Petersen 1 2-2 4, Lily Pederson 0 0-0 0, Tanicha Hudson 1 0-0 3, Olivia King 0 0-0 0, Katelyn Harvey 1 0-2 2, Shayla Borlaug 0 0-0 0, Saige O'Neil 2 0-2 4, Chelsea Donaldson 3 1-8 7, Peyton King 2 3-8 7. Team Totals 13 11-30 38.

Chinook: Megan Molyneaux 0 0-0 0, Carrie Hofer 0 1-2 1, Kourtney Hanson 2 5-8 9, Jaye Anderson 0 1-5 1, Hailey McMaster 4 6-6 15, Ashley MacLeod 0 0-0 0, Rachel Gunderson 3 2-9 8. Team Totals 11 17-35 40.

Three Point - Chinook 1 (Hailey McMaster 1), North Star 1 (Tanicha Hudson 1); Total Fouls - Chinook 20, North Star 28; Fouled Out - North Star (Lily Pederson), Chinook (Carrie Hofer).

Roy/Winifred 59 Hays/Lodge Pole 38

Roy/Winifred 18 7 14 20 - 59

Hays/L.P. 5 10 9 14 - 38

Roy/Winifred: Dyauni Boyce 24, Heggum 9, Brietta Boyce 7, Keyara Bahnmiller 3, Olivia Geer 7, Cassie Smith 10. Team Totals N/A.

Hays/L.P.: Nature Andrew 5, Darrellyn Blackwolf 1, Ella Messerly 5, Sierra Chandler 2, Latasha Kirkaldie 6, Werk 4, Mulleeah Stiffarm 14, Miquela Perez 1. Team Totals N/A.

Harlem 55 Poplar 53

Poplar 20 12 10 11 - 53

Harlem 11 11 16 17 - 55

Poplar: Alleen Russell 2 8-12 12, Riley McDonald 1 0-0 3, Hailey Brunelle 0 0-0 0, Sasha Youngman 0 3-6 3, Gilliam Medicinecloud 1 0-0 3, Holly Colgan 1 0-3 2, Chloe Shields 7 0-0 15, Imoni Bighorn 7 1-3 15. Team Totals 19 12-24 53.

Harlem: Kailee Henry 0 2-2 2, Payton Healy 2 2-2 6, Mystic Striker 7 3-4 18, Skylee Dirden 4 3-5 12, L'Tia Lawerence 3 1-5 9, Autumn Eagleman 3 0-0 8, Taeshon Scheaffer 3. Team Totals 19 11-18 55.

Three Point - Poplar 3 (Riley McDonald 1, Gilliam Medicinecloud 1, Chloe Shields 1), Harlem 6 (L'Tia Lawerence 2, Autumn Eagleman 2, Mystic Striker 1, Skylee Dirden 1); Total Fouls - Poplar 14, Harlem 15; Fouled Out - Poplar (Imoni Bighorn).

Turner 62 Big Sandy 20

Turner 20 12 20 10 - 62

Big Sandy 2 4 7 7 - 20

Turner: Raegan Conlan 3 0-0 7, Sarah Billmayer 10 4-9 26, Rylee Conlan 5 0-0 11, Melanie Watkins 1 1-2 3, Brandy Calvert 0 1-2 1, Laci Maloney 3 0-0 6, Brooke Reed 1 0-0 2, Shyan Krass 3 0-0 6, Lacey Hickel 0 0-0 0. Team Totals 26 6-13 62.

Big Sandy: Jenna Leader 2 0-0 4, Andrea Rutledge 2 0-2 5, Bailey Gasvoda 0 0-0 0, Madison Terry 0 0-0 0, Lainey Gregory 1 0-0 3, Jaylyn Cline 3 0-0 6, Sarah Reichelt 1 0-0 2. Team Totals 9 0-2 20.

Three Point - Big Sandy 2 (Andrea Rutledge 1, Lainey Gregory 1), Turner 4 (Sarah Billmayer 2, Rylee Conlan 1, Raegan Conlan 1); Total Fouls - Big Sandy 11, Turner 5; Fouled Out - None.

Fort Benton 60 Chinook 27

Chinook 7 8 10 8 - 27

Fort Benton 12 15 22 11 - 60

Chinook: Carrie Hofer 8, Kourtney Hanson 2, Hailey McMaster 5, Ashley MacLeod 1, Erin Pula 7, Rachel Gunderson 3. Team Totals N/A.

Ft. Benton: Cassie Nack 3, McKenzie Clark 4, Madison Thompson 12, Aspen Giese 7, Abby Clark 12, Maci Molinario 2, Jaelyn Vielleux 4, Megan Clark 3, Leah Gannon 5, McKenna Hanford 8. Team Totals N/A.

Box Elder 74 Hays/Lodge Pole 34

Box Elder 31 18 22 3 - 74

Hays/L.P. 8 14 8 4 - 34

Box Elder: Sarah Parisian 1, Nikayla Anderson 2, Eve The Boy 5, Maia Henderson 2, Maddie Wolfchief 11, Lilly Gopher 18, Zayna Henderson 6, Joelnell Momberg 11, Cecelia Vielle 18. Team Totals N/A.

Hays/L.P.: Nature Andrew 2, Ella Messerly 11, Sierra Chandler 4, Latasha Kirkaldie 1, Mulleeah Stiffarm 13, Tahlia Werk 2. Team Totals N/A.

Chester-Joplin-Inverness 63 Big Sandy 30

Big Sandy 6 7 8 9 - 30

Chester/J-I. 7 18 12 8 - 63

Big Sandy: Jenna Leader 4, Andrea Rutledge 5, Cassidy Belcourt 0, Bailey Gasvoda 1, Lainey Gregory 5, Jaylyn Cline 9, Amanda Cline 4, Stacey Allderdice 2. Team Totals N/A.

Chester/J-I: Kendahl Knapton 20, Korrin Harmon 9, Kayona Fraser 3, Samantha May 2, Khloe Kammerzell 21, Peyton Hawks 6, Tatum Hull 2. Team Totals N/A.