Horsemen bow to Arlee; beat Seeley-Swan
Plains senior Derick Curry (44) and junior Esvin Reyes (34) battle Lane Schall (30) of Arlee for a rebound during last Thursday’s District 14C contest at Arlee. The Warriors used a 17-2 third-quarter run en route to a 73-50 win. (Joe Sova/Clark Fork Valley Press)
Plains fell to 4-4 in District 14C play with a 73-50 loss at Arlee last Thursday, then came back with a 49-44 non-conference victory at Seeley-Swan on Saturday.
The Horsemen (8-6 over)) are in the middle of the pack in the district heading into Friday’s key game at Hot Springs. Plains hosts St. Regis in another District 14C contest on Saturday.
Plains stayed with explosive Arlee in the early going, and trailed 18-12 after one quarter. The margin was 37-27 at halftime.
During that span, the District 14C-leading Warriors were able to turn Horsemen turnovers into points on numerous occasions.
Arlee went on a 9-2 run over the firsts 2:35 of the second half, and the run extended to 17-2 on a Greg Whitesell breakaway layup. Whitesell’s picture-perfect release from his left hand ripped the cords for a 3-pointer and a 57-29 lead late in the third quarter.
“We played all right,” Plains head coach Tyrel Allen said. “Our turnovers were less than the game before (against Arlee) … We were giving up too many transition buckets. We’ve been susceptible to that this year.”
Plains had the advantage at the foul line, converting 15 of 27 free throws. The Warriors were 10-for-19.
Derick Curry led Plains with 12 points, and Jake Weyers added 10. Treydon Brouillette had eight rebounds, and Matt McCracken had five steals. All of one of the 11 Horsemen who played scored.
Whitesell led Arlee with 22 points. Lane Johnson had 10, and Cody Tanner and Darshon Bolen nine each. Six-foot-9 senior Issac Fisher was limited to eight points.
THE HORSEMEN led Seeley-Swan 12-7 after one quarter and 17-12 at halftime. Plains closed out the win with a 24-point final period.
Brouillette provided a needed spark in the fourth quarter, where he netted 10 of his game-high 20 points. “Once we get the energy going, they feed on that,” Allen said of his players.
At the foul line, Plains was 14-for-25 and Seeley-Swan 6-for-13.
Allen credited McCracken for his effort in guarding potential high-scoring Owen Mercado, who was held to six points.
Weyers had another solid game with 13 points, and Curry added 10.
Cordell Turner led the Black Hawks with 18 points. Chance Johnson had 17.