BILLINGS — Huntley Project senior Noah Bouchard and Big Timber senior Hailee Brandon have been named MontanaSports.com State B MVPs.
Bouchard led Project to a third-place finish at the State B boys basketball tournament this past weekend in Billings, while Brandon led Big Timber to the program's first title in 40 years.
Bouchard led all scorers at the state tournament with 22.3 points per game over Project's four games. He did so on 62.5% shooting, easily the highest in the tournament among players to attempt at least 10 shots.
Bouchard added averages of seven rebounds, two steals and .5 blocks per game. He poured in 24 points and grabbed seven rebounds in Project's 44-37 win over Thompson Falls in the consolation game, including hitting all 10 of his free throw attempts and shooting 7 of 11 from the floor.
Project needed Bouchard to be other-worldly this weekend as the Red Devils struggled to put the ball in the hole. Bouchard had 19 points and six rebounds in Project's first-round win over Fairfield and 25 points and four rebounds and three steals in a semifinal loss to Lodge Grass. He had 21 points and 11 boards against Shelby in a loser-out game to keep Project's season alive.
The 6-foot-7 Bouchard was 27 of 34 from the free throw line on the weekend.
Brandon had a similarly dominant tournament for Big Timber. The senior opened with a 20-point, 16-rebound double-double, along with three steals, in a 63-58 win over Anaconda. Big Timber needed Brandon's massive performance, as the Sheepherders were without Emily Cooley inside for the entire second half after she turned an ankle.
In the semifinals against Malta, Brandon had 13 points, five rebounds and three steals.
Brandon was the spark for Big Timber in the championship game, too. She had 14 points to lead all scorers while pulling down three rebounds, dishing out four assists and coming away with three more steals.
Brandon averaged 15.7 points, eight rebounds, 2.7 assists and three steals per game during the tournament and was just under 50% shooting from the field (15 of 33).
The complete boys and girls MontanaSports.com State B all-tournament teams can be found below.
Boys
Noah Bouchard, sr., Huntley Project; Damon Gros Ventre, jr., Lodge Grass; Caden Holgate, sr., Manhattan; Tate Bowler, sr., Manhattan; Kade Pardee, sr., Thompson Falls; Jadence Archita, jr., Lodge Grass.
Girls
Hailee Brandon, sr., Big Timber; Emily Cooley, jr., Big Timber; Bailey Finn, so., Big Timber; Payton West, sr., Columbus; Blythe Sealey, sr., Roundup; Meghan Eiselein, sr., Roundup.
