MISSOULA — We're set for the final game of the Class C boys and girls basketball state tournaments at Dahlberg Arena on the University of Montana campus.
Now that Scobey has won the boys title, it's the girls' turn. Old friends Denton-Geyser-Stanford-Geraldine and Circle are squaring off in the championship game after the teams played each other in the volleyball state championship last November.
Circle won that match in four sets to claim its second consecutive championship, but D-G-S-G enters this basketball meeting as the undefeated favorite.
We'll provide updates, scores, highlights and observations throughout the title game, so follow along in our blog below. If you missed anything from the boys championship, click here.
*** Updated scores and pairings ***
- Slim Kimmel, Kyle Hansen and Derek Joseph
10:46 p.m. | Final score
Denton-Geyser-Stanford-Geraldine completes the undefeated season with a come-from-behind 64-57 overtime win over Circle in the Class C girls basketball state championship game. BriElla Becker will probably be MTN Sports' tournament MVP, but freshman Kady Myllymaki likely saved the season for the Bearcats. Her second quarter kept D-G-S-G close in the first half, and then she hit some more big shots after halftime.
More to come ...
10:42 p.m. | Bearcats closing in
D-G-S-G has taken a 62-57 lead on baskets by Keira Tesarek and BriElla Becker. Less than 40 seconds to play.
10:36 p.m. | Overtime!
We're the last game going in the state after the other seven state championships have gone final, so why not go to overtime? BriElla Becker missed two free throws with 0.2 seconds left, so we're headed to OT tied at 53-53.
Since the game was tied at 46-46, D-G-S-G has gone 5 of 16 at the free throw line. Circle is 4 for 4 during the same time frame. Circle's Madeline Moline and D-G-S-G's Ella Smith have fouled out.
10:33 p.m. | Holy smokes!
What a shot by Circle's Laura Guldborg! She hits a deep 3 to tie the game at 53-53 with 17.1 seconds left after D-G-S-G had scored seven straight points. Bearcats ball out of the timeout.
10:27 p.m. | Buckle up!
D-G-S-G has taken the lead on a BriElla Becker free throw. The Bearcats lead 51-50 with 1:45 to play.
10:15 p.m. | And we're tied!
D-G-S-G had closed within 34-33, but Circle retook a 42-36 lead on a Madeline Moline 3. Ella Smith and BriElla Becker answered with D-G-S-G buckets to get it back to 42-40. Then, Lily Beery, who scored the game-clinching basket in Circle's semifinal win over Melstone on Friday, got another tough bucket for Circle. Now, after two Keira Tesarek baskets for the Bearcats, we're tied at 44-44 with 5:16 to play.
10:01 p.m. | D-G-S-G rallying ...
Circle's Laura Guldborg hit a straightaway 3 to give the Wildcats a 32-18 lead about three minutes into the second half, but D-G-S-G has responded with a 9-0 run, including a three-point play from Emma Smith and a corner 3 from Kady Myllymaki. It's 32-27 in favor of Circle with less than three minutes to play in the third.
9:43 p.m. | Halftime
At the break, Circle leads D-G-S-G 25-18, and, based off the stats, it's mostly come down to shot-making. The Wildcats are 11-of-22 shooting, while the Bearcats are just 7 of 27. D-G-S-G is actually winning the turnover (7 to 8) and rebounding (17 to 16) battles, but Circle's Charlie Moline is 4 for 4 from the floor and 1 for 1 from the free throw line for nine points. Allie Kountz has eight points for the Wildcats.
Kady Myllymaki provided a boost to D-G-S-G with eight first-half points, but the Bearcats' trio of BriElla Becker, Ella Smith and Emma Smith has a combined five points on 2-of-16 shooting.
9:32 p.m. | Second-quarter update
OK, the boys blog is updated with some postgame reaction, so my full attention is onto the girls game. Circle has opened up a 23-10 lead midway through the second quarter. I've seen Allie Kountz and Charlie Moline making plays for the Wildcats, who have generally done a good job of keeping D-G-S-G out of transition.
After a Bearcats bucket and Wildcats turnover, Circle coach Colby Loudon takes a timeout. It's 23-12 in favor of Circle with 2:49 to play in the first half.
9:22 p.m. | First-quarter update
Circle leads D-G-S-G 14-7 at the end of the first quarter. The teams met earlier in the season, with the Bearcats winning that game by eight points. The Wildcats defeated D-G-S-G in the state volleyball championship, so these teams know each other well.
9:09 p.m. | D-G-S-G and Circle under way
The Bearcats' BriElla Becker starts the scoring in the girls state championship game and Circle's Allie Kountz makes a pair of free throws. Undefeated D-G-S-G and Circle are tied in the early going. Updates might be sparse for a bit while I finish writing the boys recap, but we'll keep an on things!
