Blue Hawks hold off Florence in Western B action

The matchup between two Western B foes was an early season barometer of where the teams are at in their first games of the year.

The Thompson Falls boys went toe-to-toe with the Falcons from Florence, both among the preseason teams to beat in their Class B conferences, with the Blue Hawks holding on for a down-to-the-wire 58-57 victory. 

The Florence Lady Falcons also played even up with the Lady Hawks, at least for the first half as Florence rolled to a 73-42 season-opening win in T Falls. 

In the boys contest, T Falls senior Bryson LeCoure buried a two-pointer that tied the score at 2-2. The teams traded baskets for a 4-4 tie before Florence pulled ahead 6-4, then 8-4. Blue Hawks senior Owen Doyle struck back for the Hawks with a three-pointer, making it 8-7 Florence. 

Then, LeCoure was fouled while shooting and sank both charity tosses to put T Falls up 9-8. Florence reclaimed the lead at 11-9 before senior forward Ian Myers drained a three-pointer to give the lead back to T Falls, 12-11. 

Then it was LeCoure time as the senior standout buried a pair of three-pointers and added a two-point bucket to put the home team up 20-11 at the end of the first quarter.  LeCoure scored 12 of his game high 20 points in the opening quarter. 

The two teams traded buckets in the second quarter as Florence chipped away at the Blue Hawks’ lead, outscoring T Falls 16-10 to cut the deficit at the half to 30-27 in favor of the home boys. 

Florence took the lead in the third quarter, 33-32, but Sam Burgess two-pointer gave the lead by to the Blue Hawks, 34-33 a short time later. 

The lead changed hands two more times before LeCoure put T Falls up 38-35, then 40-35 with a pair of baskets, including a full court lay in off a steal.  Florence answered that run with a three-pointer and a solo free throw, then added a three-pointer to take a 40-38 lead with time running out in the third quarter. 

Two free throws and a two-pointer in the final seconds of the quarter gave T Falls a 42-40 lead heading into the fourth quarter. 

The Blue Hawks scored five straight points to open the final quarter to take a 47-40 lead.  LeCoure had a three in that run. 

T Falls senior Bryson McCormick drilled a three, followed by a Burgess two-pointer to put the Blue Hawks seemingly in control with a 54-43 lead with just over three minutes left in regulation. 

Myers then hit a two-pointer for the Hawks, giving them a commanding 56-43 lead with three minutes left. 

Florence tightened their defensive pressure and produce a trio of three-pointers over the next two-plus minutes to cut the T Falls lead to 56-52 with 40 seconds to play. 

Myers sank one of two free throws, giving the Hawks a 57-52 lead, followed by a Burgess charity toss that gave the home team a 58-54 lead. Florence scored on a long three-pointer with 11 seconds remaining to cut the Blue Hawks lead to 58-57. 

T Falls ran out the clock and held on for the narrow, one-point win. 

Lecoure’s 20 points topped the Blue Hawks, while Kaiden Robins added 15 and Burgess had 12 points for the winners. LeCoure also led the Hawks in rebounding with 10.  Freshman Kellen LeCoure grabbed nine rebounds and added four points for T Falls. 

The girls game started out as a back-and-forth contest, with the Lady Falcons emerging with a 16-15 lead after one quarter of play.  Florence jumped out to a 9-2 opening period lead, before the Lady Hawks closed to within two, 11-9.  Junior forward Gabi Hannum had seven points in the first quarter for T Falls. 

The second quarter was nearly identical to the first, as a solo free throw by sophomore Aubrey Baxter tied the score at 16-all.  Addy Deal’s two-pointer gave T Falls its first lead of the game, 18-16, before Florence tied it at 18, then went up 20-18. 

Florence increased their lead to 23-18, then T Falls scored two to make it 23-20. 

A three-pointer by Hannum tied the score again at 23-23.  She then sank a free throw to give T Falls a 24-23 advantage.  Florence closed out the first half with three separate free throws by three players, then held on for a 26-24 halftime lead. 

The third quarter was all Florence as they outscored T Falls 28-10, including a long three at the buzzer that gave the visitors a 54-34 lead heading into the fourth quarter. 

That lead grew to 62-35 and Florence coasted the rest of the way to secure the 73-42 win. 

Hannum paced T Falls with 18 points, while Solveig Nygaard added eight for the Lady Hawks.  

Florence had three players score in double figures, paced by Kenzy Pickering’s 15.  Emory Ralston added 12 for the Lady Falcons and Jaden Fisher contributed 10 in the win. 

Both T Falls teams are scheduled to take part in the Shelby Tip-off tournament this weekend (Dec 13-14).  Thompson Falls returns home December 20 for a game against Seeley-Swan.