BILLINGS — Both Bozeman and Billings West advanced to the semifinal round of the Eastern AA divisional boys basketball tournament with victories Thursday morning at Alterowitz Gymnasium on the campus of Montana State Billings.
Bozeman rolled past Great Falls High with a 59-35 win while West pulled away from Great Falls CMR 59-44.
Billings Skyview and Bozeman Gallatin also moved into the semifinal round with wins Thursday. The Falcons rallied late to Beat Billings Senior 50-49 and Gallatin routed Belgrade 65-47.
Bozeman will face West in Friday's first semifinal while Skyview and Gallatin will square off for the other berth in the championship game.
Bozeman 59, Great Falls 35
Kash Embry's 19 points helped Bozeman to a 59-35 first-round victory over Great Falls High.
Embry shot 8 for 11 from the floor, helping the Hawks shoot 45% as a team. Kellen Harrison added 12 points and four assists. Quaid Ash had 11 points and nine rebounds, and Rocky Lencioni grabbed 10 boards.
Great Falls, which slipped into loser-out action Friday, was led by Scott Klinker, who scored 13 points. Mason Kralj added eight points.
Billings West 59, Great Falls CMR 44
The Golden Bears got 17 points from Cooper Tyson and a near-double double of 13 points and nine rebounds from Braden Zimmer in a 59-44 first-round win over CMR.
Mason Brosseau added 10 points for West, which outscored the Rustlers 13-6 in the second quarter to gain separation and then extended that lead the rest of the way.
Dean Blair had 18 points and eight rebounds for CMR, which will play in loser-out action Friday.
Billings Skyview 50, Billings Senior 49
Zakai Owens' 3-pointer with 18.4 seconds left served as the winning basket in Skyview's 50-49 first-round win over Senior.
After Owens' shot, the Broncs' attempt a game-winner missed as time expired. Owens had 11 points and 11 rebounds for the Falcons, while Anthony Schacht had 14 points and Willes Frederick added 11.
Zynan Zilkoski paced Senior with 18 points. Davyn Lehfeldt scored 10 for the Broncs, who will look to stay alive in loser-out action Friday.
Bozeman Gallatin 65, Belgrade 47
A balanced effort led Gallatin into the semifinal round with a 65-47 win over Belgrade.
Jack Repscher had 13 points to lead three in double figures and eight Raptors in the scoring column. Mac Melin and Carter Dahlke each had 10 points for Gallatin.
Belgrade's Daniel Marinko had 17 points and eight rebounds as the Panthers slipped into the loser-out bracket.
