Red Devils scorch Hot Springs
Three months of regular season basketball officially concluded this weekend as a pair of Sanders County teams are ready for the District 14-C tournament.
Although both Noxon and Hot Springs wrapped up their respective seasons with identical 7-11 overall records, the Red Devils held a three-game, conference advantage (5-5 to 2-8) to secure a fourth place birth. The two teams will face each other in the opening game of the tournament next weekend in Pablo.
In their second matchup this season, Noxon defeated Hot Springs for the second time, 63-49 on Thursday during the Red Devil’s senior night.
Red Devil junior Jordan Eichert scored 20 of his game-high 28 points to help give Noxon a massive, 41-20 halftime lead. The fifth place Savage Heat would chip away in the third and fourth quarters, but never got close enough to challenge the Red Devils.
Tyrell Wilkinson added nine points for Noxon, Travis Tammaro and Austin Tucker eight, Banks Stocking six and Brandon Piazzola and Neal Joping two apiece in the win.
The Savage Heat were led by Zack Malinak’s 20 points. Also contributing were Cody Hoff with 10, Trevor Bras eight, Connor Stobie and Dave Cross four and Wyatt Nagy three points.
In their final regular season game, The Red Devils fell, 55-58 at the hands of Arlee on Friday. The win marked seven straight for the Warriors (9-1, 15-3) who finished in second place.
Arlee held a two-point edge at the break, and stretched their lead to six after outscoring Noxon 16-12 in the third quarter. The Red Devils closed the gap in the fourth, but came up just three points short of a conference victory.
Tammarro led all scorers, netting 23 points for Noxon. Eichert added 13 points, Wilkinson five, Jopling and Piazzola and Johnnie Carter with three apiece, Tucker and Stocking two each and Jesse Linderman one,
Trae Burland came off the bench to score 18 points, leading Arlee to the victory.
Hot Springs also came up short in their regular season finale, losing 69-76 versus Two Eagle River on Saturday.
Malinak led the Savage Heat again, scoring 19 points. Hoff added 16, Cross 14, Bras eight and Nagy and Mike Gray six apiece in the loss.
Artie Mendoza scored a game-high 24 points for the Eagles who finished the regular season in third place (5-5, 8-10).