BOZEMAN — Welcome to Day 2 of the Class B boys and girls basketball tournament at Worthington Arena on the campus of Montana State University.
It should be a great night of semifinal action here with four berths on Saturday night's championship games on the line. The girls semifinals pit Florence vs. Baker at 3:30 p.m. and Malta vs. Missoula Loyola at 5, while the boys semis will feature Anaconda vs. Lodge Grass at 6:30 and Harlem vs. Missoula Loyola at 8.
Keep it here for scores, highlights and updates throughout the day. Most recent updates will be shown at the top.
— Luke Shelton and Jonny Walker
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10:52 p.m. | Final update
Both Harlem and Lodge Grass boys programs faced heartbreak here at Worthington Arena during the 2022 Class B state tournament — Lodge Grass fell to the Wildcats in the semifinals and then the Wildcats lost to Three Forks in the title game.
Both teams will now get a shot at earning a measure of redemption in this venue on Saturday night — the Indians will have a shot at completing a perfect season.
On the girls' side, Malta's impressive win in a slugfest against Gatorade Player of the Year Spencer Laird and Missoula Loyola vaulted the M-Ettes to the championship round for the first time since 2017.
They'll face Baker, led by star Madison O'Connor, a team looking to claim its second title in the past three years and atone for last season when it was unable to defend its 2024 crowns.
It's gonna be loud in here.
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WATCH HIGHLIGHTS OF LODGE GRASS AND HARLEM's SEMIFINAL WINS:
10:40 p.m. | Wildcats roar into title game
Once Harlem got its offense rolling, it was darn near unstoppable.
The Wildcats stormed past Missoula Loyola 69-49 to surge into the championship against Lodge Grass and bring the Rams four-peat bid to a halt in the semifinals.
Harlem had four players score in double digits — Lathan Black Wolf, Cody McCabe and Corey Morgan all scored 14 points. Xavier Young had 10 for the Wildcats. Jamo Kendrick led the Rams with 15 points and Cameron Buston scored 10.
10:32 p.m. | Wildcats not interested in late-game drama
Harlem has opened the fourth quarter on a 10-2 run and has pushed its lead to 64-43 with just over four minutes left.
I'm thinking back to previous state tournament championship atmospheres and 2018's Class C battle between Arlee and Manhattan Christian at the Civic Center might be the most deafening I can recall. But I think Lodge Grass/Harlem for the title might rival that.
Harlem crowd is on its feet now.
10:24 p.m. | Harlem a quarter away
The Wildcats are keeping the Rams at arms length after three quarters and lead 54-41 as we get set for the final eight minutes to determine who faces Lodge Grass tomorrow night.
Then the Wildcats open the quarter on a 4-0 run and push the lead to 58-41. 6:24 left in this game.
9:55 p.m. | Wildcats just have mojo in this place
There's just something about Harlem, Brick Breeden Fieldhouse, and the Wildcats facing a defending champion in the state semifinals.
Harlem now leads three-time reigning Class B champion Missoula Loyola 34-21 at halftime. Back in 2022, they toppled defending champion Lodge Grass in the semis.
Harlem's Corey Morgan has 12 points for the Wildcats. Jamo Kendrick leads Loyola with 8.
9:52 p.m. | Wildcats create a little space
Cody McCabe just drained a 3 from the wing to give Harlem a 28-21 lead late in the second quarter. 1:11 remaining until halftime.
9:42 p.m. | Close game after one
Harlem leads 10-8 after one quarter and there's no indication that this will be a runaway win like in the first boys semifinal.
Pretty balanced attack from both teams but Loyola just went on a 5-2 run to take the lead 13-12. Timeout Harlem with 7:01 left until halftime.
9:34 p.m. | Lodge Grass a 'redeem team'?
The Indians are back in the Class B title game for the second straight year, but this one harkens back to 2022 when they lost to Harlem in the semifinals in Bozeman.
Coach Tyson Gros Ventre's son Damon was a star scorer on that team, and younger son T.J. is a top player on this year's squad.
"We're here to redeem Damon and D.C. (Stewart) and those guys. They have a big influence on our team," Tyson Gros Ventre said after the win. "That helps a lot."
9:21 p.m. | Final spot in championship up for grabs
Our last boys semifinal is about to tip off. Missoula Loyola is looking to keep its four-peat dream alive. Harlem is a win away from returning to the championship for the first time since 2022 when, here at Brick Breeden Fieldhouse, they fell to Three Forks.
The winner takes on a Lodge Grass team that just locked up back-to-back trips to the state championship.
We're a few minutes away from this semifinal getting going.
9:06 p.m. | Lodge Grass head back to chipper
We have one spot in Saturday's championship accounted for.
Lodge Grass took care of business against Anaconda in the semifinals, winning 67-51 and will face the winner of our final semifinal between Missoula Loyola and Harlem. The Indians and Rams met in the title game last season, with Loyola winning to complete a three-peat.
JJ Bends led Lodge Grass with a double-double with 18 points and 10 rebounds. Colvin Wyles added 14 points for the Indians and TJ Gros Ventre had 13.
The Copperheads were paced by 18 points from Shane Shalk and 14 from Ryder Anderson.
Anaconda will play St. Labre in a loser-out game at 10:30 a.m. on Saturday with the winner advancing the to the consolation final.
8:43 p.m. | Lodge Grass on the brink of consecutive championship appearances
Barring a miracle, the Indians are a quarter away from booking a return trip to the title game and now lead Anaconda 52-31 early in the fourth quarter.
Gros Ventre has now scored 13 points and Colvin Wyles is up to 10 for Lodge Grass.
Observation: Lodge Grass' offense is a lot of fun to watch and also relentless — transition speed, ball movement, ability to quickly get good-look shots off — and is one that, if you fail to keep up for a even a brief spell, will make you pay.
8:16 p.m. | Halftime
Lodge Grass is in control at halftime and a after a second-quarter outburst leads Anaconda 35-17.
TJ Gros Ventre is up to 11 points for the Indians and is 4-of-7 from the field. Copperheads' head coach Dakota Norris told me yesterday that keeping up with Lodge Grass' high-tempo place of play would be a big challenge and that's how its gone so far tonight.
There's a still a full half of basketball to play of course, but the Indians are currently on track to make a consecutive championship game appearance.
8:01 p.m. | Lodge Grass up by double digits
TJ Gros Ventre scored on a put back and Lexin Bouyer just scored on a fast break layup and the Indians now lead 22-9. Then Treson Cole scored on a put back so make it 24-9. This team is clearly eager to get back to the championship after falling in it last year to Missoula Loyola.
And as I wrote that Gros Ventre scored on a 3 and it's 28-11. Lodge Grass is literally scoring faster than I can type write now.
7:55 p.m. | Lodge Grass leads after one
The Indians have jumped to a 13-7 lead after one quarter and the crowd here is energized and loud and there's a lot more orange in the crowd than Blue. It's no secret that Lodge Grass' fan base travels very well. We'll see if they can create some separation or if the Copperheads can narrow the gap.
7:42 p.m. | Neva Jacobson grateful for second chances
Malta's Neva Jacobson missed two free throws at the very end of regulation, but she hit some big ones in overtime for the Mustangs' in their victory over Loyola.
"We got an extra chance in overtime," said Jacobson, whose team will face Baker in the championship game on Saturday. "I think we wanted to put that to good use. We wanted it so bad, so I think that just helped us out a lot."
7:34 p.m. | First boys semi set to tip off over an hour after scheduled time
Good things come to those who wait, right?
Our first State B boys semifinal between undefeated Lodge Grass and Anaconda should tip off a little after 7:40 p.m., over an hour after it's scheduled 6:30 p.m. start time. The final girls semi between Missoula Loyola and Malta going an extra frame pushed things back even further.
The Indians are looking to remain unbeaten and advance to the title game for the second straight season. Anaconda, the Western B champion, is looking to get to the championship for the first time since 2017.
The Copperheads got here by holding off Shepherd 48-43 in the quarterfinals and Lodge Grass surged past Fairfield 58-43 in the quarters.
If you're tuning into our updates, get ready to burn some midnight oil!
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WATCH HIGHLIGHTS OF BAKER AND MALTA'S SEMIFINAL WINS:
7:22 p.m. | Final score
The State B girls championship game is set.
Malta will challenge Baker tomorrow night for the state title after knocking off Loyola 49-42 in overtime. Tipoff is set for 6:30 p.m.
The E-Mettes held the Breakers to just 18 points in the final two quarters and overtime.
7:12 p.m. | Got a good-luck charm?
Malta now leads 45-40 with 1:03 remaining in OT. The M-Ettes led by as many as 8 during the OT period, but Loyola buried a 3-pointer — the Breakers' first field goal of overtime — heading into the timeout.
Malta to inbound. And now coming out of the timeout, Loyola is playing the foul game.
7:02 p.m. | We're going to OT
An Emme Laird 3-pointer rimmed out as time expired. For the first time this State B tournament, we've got extra basketball to play.
Score is tied 36-36. Overtime periods are 4:00.
What a GAME!
6:59 p.m. | BANG!
Well there's a highlight for you, Luke!
With 20 seconds to play, Loyola's Spencer Laird drilled a second-chance 3-pointer to tie things up at 36. An ensuing trip to the free-throw line for Malta resulted in 0 points.
10 seconds left to play. Loyola to inbound.
6:50 p.m. | Down to the wire
Malta calls timeout with 3:05 to play after Loyola has moved to a full-court press. The E-Mettes lead 33-31 in what has become a gritty, grind-it-out type of game.
Luke, who is shooting video for TV, is pulling his hair out over the lack of highlight-worthy plays. The crowd, who is rooting hard for both teams, is roaring at the intensity.
6:35 p.m. | Can I buy a bucket?
Points became a lot harder to come by as the 3rd quarter turned into a defensive slugfest.
Malta took its first lead of the game at the 4:32 mark, going up 27-26. Four-and-a-half minutes later, the E-Mettes lead is 30-26. Loyola scored just 2 points in the period. And perhaps most notably, the Breakers' Spencer Laird — who had 17 throught two quarters — was held scoreless in the frame.
Maybe there's a correlation between that fact and Malta's newfound lead.
6:12 p.m. | Halftime
Loyola has led since their first basket, but that doesn't mean it hasn't been close. The Breakers lead 24-20 at the half. 17 of their 24 points have come from Spencer Laird, who has also dominated the offensive glass for stretches.
The M-Ettes have an energetic crowd behind them, and it seems every time they've needed a boost, they've been able to tap into that energy. This is shaping up to be a second-half game.
5:53 p.m. | Back-and-forth opening quarter
After the Breakers opened the game on an 11-0 run, the M-Ettes came storming back to end the quarter down by just 2. Malta trails Loyola 12-10.
Laird has 10 of Loyola's 12 points. She's averaged 28.5 points per game this season en route to winning her Gatorade Player of the Year honor.
5:38 p.m. | Second semifinal underway
Malta and the M-Ettes have a full student section, cheer squad and pep band — each of which made its presence known during warmups and player introductions.
Loyola and the Breakers have Montana's Gatorade Player of the Year — officially announced as 6-foot-3 junior forward Spencer Laird this morning.
Great atmostphere. Great players. And hopefully a great game to determine our second state finalist.
5:30 p.m. | Madison O'Connor: 'Definitely stressful'
Afterward, O'Connor said: "Knowing all the teammates that we have, that I have, and the bench we have, I knew we just had to get through (the third) quarter. And they did great.
"Knowing we have one more game together, hopefully we can come together tomorrow and work our hardest. It's going to take every one of us."
5:18 p.m. | Final score
Baker survived some late-game theatrics with Madison O'Connor making 4 free throws under the 30-second mark. O'Connor did ultimately foul out with 12.8 seconds on the clock, but it was too little too late for the Falcons.
O'Connor finished with 32 points on 13-of-26 shooting.
The Spartans' 69-63 win propels them into the championship game for the third year in a row. Baker finished as the state runner-up last year. The Spartans won the state title two years ago.
The State B girls title game is set for tipoff at 6:30 p.m. tomorrow. Baker awaits the winner of (1N) Malta - (2W) Loyola Sacred Heart. That game tips off in about 15 minutes.
4:55 p.m. | Falcons not going away quietly
After consulting with other media members, we're not entirely sure what sound a falcon makes. But the Florence-Carlton Falcons made lots of noise to close out the 3rd quarter.
Baker leads 53-50 with one quarter to play. Notably absent for Florence's run were Baker's O'Connor sisters. Both watched from the bench. Both sisters have 4 fouls. Both sisters checked back into the game to start the 4th quarter.
4:25 p.m. | Halftime
Basketball is a game of runs.
The Falcons immediately followed up Baker's 15-2 run with a 10-0 run of their own. They've narrowed the Spartans' lead to 8, trailing 41-33 at the half.
Baker's O'Connor sisters have scored 23 of the Spartans' 41 points — 15 for Madison; 8 for Avery. Florence's Amory Ralston and Maggie Schneiter lead the Falcons with 9 points each.
Even though we saw four lead changes in the first half, Baker has led for 17:47 of a possible 20 minutes. Florence led for 62 seconds in the 1st quarter.
4:14 p.m. | Baker finds another gear
The Spartans opened the second quarter on a 15-2 run. They've dictated the pace of this period, opting to call timeout now up 35-21 with 3:52 remaining in the half.
Baker has thrived at creating points in transition and off turnovers. Meanwhile, the Falcons have struggled to beat Baker's full-court press and set up good looks in the half court.
4:01 p.m. | What. A. Quarter.
The Spartan and Falcon girls came to play.
38 points scored. Three lead changes. Lots of highlights.
Baker leads Florence-Carlton 20-18 after one. Sisters Avery and Madison O'Connor have scored the majority of the Spartans' points. Falcons' ball to start the 2nd.
3:44 p.m. | Officially official
The State B semifinal round has officially tipped off. We'll know which four teams — two girls, two boys — will advance to tomorrow's championship games within the next 7-ish hours.
3:30 p.m. | The countdown begins
We are officially 10 minutes from tipoff for Day 2 of State B.
Our first semifinal matchup of the day features (1W) Florence-Carlton taking on (1S) Baker. These two teams met on Dec. 6 for a non-conference matchup. The Spartans won that game 74-60 — but it was the closest undefeated Baker came to suffering a loss all season.
We'll see how things go this time around.
