Turner closes out season at the Northern C Divisional with a pair of wins

 

February 28, 2018

Junior Raegan Conlan connected twice from long range in a win over Great Falls Central and the Tornadoes final game against the Tri City Titans.

Turner defeats Heart Butte, Great Falls Central at the Northern C.

The Turner Tornadoes did a fantastic job representing the District 9C in Great Falls this past week. The girls concluded a magical season that has them wanting more and this group is more than willing to put in the time, effort and hard work during the off season to ensure they are back playing in the Four Seasons Arena again next year.

The Tornadoes went 2-2 over the course of the four day tournament. Wednesday afternoon they defeated the Heart Butte Warriors 52-44. That win propelled Turner into a first round game against the Belt Huskies.

The defending state champions started fast and never looked back in defeating Turner 60-20. The Turner girls stepped up to the challenge and responded well in the second half after making some adjustments.

Turner then took down the Great Falls Central Catholic Mustangs Friday morning in loser out action. Turner slowly took control of the contest and pulled away for a 63-46 win to advance in the tournament.

Saturday morning the Tornadoes season ended with a valiant effort against the Tri-City Titans where they were defeated 60-52.

Turner began their first trip to the Northern C Divisional in 21 years in what essentially was a play-in game against the Heart Butte Warriors the No. 3 seed out of the District 10C.

The story of the game early was the propensity of the Turner girls to get to the foul line in the first half and convert.

Sophomore Sarah Billmayer knocked down 6-8 from the charity stripe in the first quarter but a long three from Heart Butte as time wound down in the opening stanza had the Warriors on top 12-11.

Junior Melanie Watkins drained a mid range jumper to give Turner back the lead, 13-12. Billmayer then made a great pass inside to freshman Shyan Krass where she was able convert for a 15-13 lead.

Moments later after a offensive rebound Krass connected on a pair from the charity stripe and Billmayer connected on two more attempts from the line for 19-15 advantage.

Billmayer would later would drain one from beyond the arc and junior Rylee Conlan closed out the first half with and offensive rebound and score to give the Tornadoes a 26-19 halftime lead.

The Tornadoes scored on 11-16 free throws in the opening half but the second half would have them at the line just nine times with Billmayer connecting on three of four attempts.

A three point bucket and a layup from Billmayer pushed the Tornado lead to ten, 31-21 just two minutes into the third.

The Warriors would make a charge tying the game up at 35-35 late in the quarter.

Back to back steals and layups by Billmayer and Rylee Conlan gave the Tornadoes a 40-37 advantage heading into the fourth quarter.

Krass scored the first two points of the quarter and an offensive rebound and put back by Watkins extended their lead to seven 44-37.

Krass later converted another offensive rebound into points to maintain a six point cushion for the Tornadoes.

Turner did a good job managing the clock the final minutes and score the final four points of the game to win 52-44.

Billmayer led the Tornado attack knocking down 6-10 from the field and converting 11-14 from the charity stripe for 25 points. Billmayer also recorded five steals in the win. Watkins was a force all game long for Turner finishing with 10 points and 13 rebounds.

The win over the Warriors meant the Tornadoes would take on the Belt Huskies in a first round contest Thursday afternoon.

Turner got a basket from Billmayer and a pair of free throws from Krass in the opening stanza trailing 19-4 heading into the second. The Huskies pushed their lead to 36-10 by intermission eventually defeating the Tornadoes 60-20.

Krass led the Tornadoes with seven points while Watkins secured seven rebounds for Turner. The loss sent Turner into a Friday morning Loser Out contest with the Great Falls Central Mustangs.

The Mustangs began the Northern C Divisional as the No.2 Seed out of the District 10C and were defeated in their first game by Box Elder 78-38.

Billmayer gave the Tornadoes their first lead with basket in the lane, 4-2 and Rylee Conlan turned a defensive rebound into a fast break opportunity for a 6-2 Turner advantage.

Billmayer extended the margin on their next possession, taking a pass from Rylee Conlan and letting a ten foot jumper go and circle the rim three time before falling in for an 8-2 lead.

Watkins beat her defender off the dribble and Krass followed with a pair of buckets on the low block helping the Tornadoes double up the Mustangs 16-8 with 1:30 left in the opening quarter.

Billmayer answered a three pointer from the Mustangs with a triple of her own to maintain the Turner advantage.

The Tornadoes closed out the first quarter with baskets Raegan Conlan and Krass as time expired giving Turner a 23-11 lead heading to the second quarter.

Krass scored the first six Tornado points before Billmayer drained a long three to put Turner up 34-20 just before the end of the half.

The Mustangs came out firing to start the third quarter scoring the first six of the quarter to trim the Tornado lead to 34-29.

Rylee Conlan and Billmayer answered with a pair of scores to push the margin back to nine 38-29. Watkins followed with a great crossover and score and Krass converted two more from the charity stripe for a 45-34 lead.

The Mustangs ended the third quarter and began the fourth with a pair of triples to make things interesting with 7:30 left in the contest and a 45-40 Turner lead.

Riley Raegan Conlan then drained back to back three point bombs and Watkins went 2-2 from the line to give Turner back a ten point cushion 53-43.

Billmayer, Krass and Rylee Conlan combined to go 9-12 from the charity stripe as Turner began to pull away late in securing a 63-46 win over the Mustangs.

The Tornadoes got a huge effort from Krass as she dominated the paint scoring 22 points while connecting on 8-10 free throws while also grabbing eight rebounds.

Billmayer scored 17 in the win, secured four rebounds and dished out three assists. Watkins added nine points and nine boards. Rylee Conlan scored seven, grabbed nine rebounds and recorded four assists. Raegan rounded out the Turner attack with eight points, three steals and a pair of assists.

Turner would move on in the Northern C Divisional to face the Tri City Titans in another loser out contest Saturday morning.

Krass won the opening tip and Watkins scored immediately for a quick 2-0 Turner lead. The Titans responded with a couple of baskets until a jumper by Krass in the key gave Turner a 5-4 lead.

The Titans closed out the opening quarter on a 10-1 run but these Turner Tornadoes weren't going away without leaving everything on the court.

Rylee Conlan opened the second with a three ball only to see the Titans answer with one right back. Rylee then hit two free throws and Billmayer finished the fast break with a bucket to bring Turner within four, 17-13.

The Titans again answered with a triple to push the lead to seven. Krass was working hard on the low block and got her spin move to work for two points trimming the deficit to 20-15. Conlan then cleared the defensive glass and made a long pass to Billmayer where she again finished the break to bring Turner back within three, 20-17.

Krass went to work in the paint securing an offensive board for two points and then taking a nice pass from Billmayer and scoring again for the Tornadoes and suddenly the lead was one, 22-21.

The Titans dropped in another from long range and added a jumper pushing the margin back to seven. This group of Tornadoes never backed down as Billmayer scored on a floater and Watkins finished the half with a pair of free throws, sending the teams into halftime with Tri City up 29-25.

Raegan Conlan connected from beyond the arc early in the third quarter after Krass scored again down low as Turner kept themselves in striking distance 34-30.

The Titans had a knack for stopping any momentum the Tornadoes built with the long ball and did so again late in the third quarter to give the Titans back a ten point lead 43-33. Again the Turner girls kept fighting and Raegan Conlan connected on a three pointer to keep the Titans close. Krass scored in the paint with :14 left in the quarter sending the teams to the fourth quarter with Tri City on top 45-40.

Raegan Conlan somehow threaded a bullet pass into Watkins for a bucket to keep the Titan lead at six. Moments later Rylee Conlan's drive down the right side of the key for a score brought Turner back within four, 48-44.

The Tornadoes were unable to close the gap any further. Billmayer and Rylee Conlan each drained three balls down the stretch but it wasn't enough as the Tornadoes season ended with a 60-52 loss to the Titans.

Billmayer score 17 while also dishing out six assists. Krass added 13 points and eight rebounds while Rylee Conlan scored 10 and accounted for five assists.

The experience of getting to the Northern C Divisional is something that surely will motivate the girls to continue to put in the work during the off season, something these Tornadoes have been doing for a long time. Playing together since grade school, going to camps, competing in the MSU-Northern Skylight summer league and getting in the gym whenever possible is a way of life for this team.

Upon returning from the Northern C Divisional, Turners five starters were asked to reflect on the experience:

#2 Raegan Conlan - I think it is safe to say that all of our team felt that this was all a dream right until we started warm ups on Wednesday. Everybody can tell you that it is just a court like any other one, nothing special, but it is much more special to us. All of our team worked so hard for this, the hours in the gym, the conditioning practices, the blood, sweat, and tears.

#14 Melanie Watkins - This experience was something I will never forget! Playing on that floor is definitely something to strive for next year. It was so much fun to compete against teams that we don't get to see in our conference, and to see what the next level is really like. We worked all year and last summer for that chance, and we finally got it. The loss to Belt was tough for us but it will be something that we will remember when we are preparing for next season. It is completely different than anything we have ever played on before.

#11 Sarah Billmayer - My experience this year at the tournaments had been a blast and a huge accomplishment to us and our community! We all just wanted to put Turner back on the map again and we did. Winning that third place trophy at the district tournaments felt like we won the championship! It was such an amazing feel to know that we were actually going to divisionals this year! When we got to divisionals to play our first game against Heart Butte I was so nervous! My assistant coach Darci Ammen told me "Just go out and play the game you know and love and those nerves will be gone in the first minute!" And they were gone! It had never felt so great to be on that huge gym floor with our Turner jerseys on!

#13 Rylee Conlan - This experience will forever be ingrained in my mind. This was one of my team's goals ever since we were really young. My sister and I went down and always watched Divisional in Great Falls and we made a promise that our team would play on this floor at one point. As those final seconds ticked down at our consolation game in Havre, we began to realize that our promise had been met. Walking into our game on Wednesday my stomach was turning. The floor was so big the lights were so bright and there was so many people in the stands. That was the point where it really sunk in that we did it. After winning our Divisional opener, we were so hyped. We knew that all those hours of work that we had put in would soon pay off and that we would definitely be playing more than just two games on this floor.

#23 Shyan Krass - This season my goal was to get out of districts and go to divisionals. We as a team worked hard to get out of 9C and go on. When we did I was so proud of my team and what we accomplished, but it was not over yet. When we got to divisionals it felt unreal. When I walked into the gym I immediately got nervous because I was finally playing at a higher level. I had worked all my summers to achieve this goal. Like going to camps, playing on tournament teams, shooting at home every day, and going to the gym whenever it is open. When we started to play I got used to the openness of the gym. In the end I felt like it was better because I had more space to work with. After our first win it gave our team confidence for the rest of the tournament. I am glad our team had this experience this year because I am hoping next year we will go to0.

One thing all of them had in common was their desire to get back in the gym as soon as they could and start working towards next season, "As we come into the off-season my team and I will be working hard on some of our weaker points and come back stronger and hungry for more hardware,"said Rylee. "This summer I'm hoping to go to some post camps and to go to tournaments with the Turner team, and other teams. To pick up experience from other people and get better. Also, anytime the gym is open I hope to go to work on shooting, dribbling, and post moves," added Shyan. " I think that this summer we will just continue to go to camps and work together as a team to bounce back and be ten times better next year. With us not losing any seniors this year it will be fun to see what we can accomplish next year," concluded Melanie.

Northern C Girls

Basketball Box Scores

Play-in

Turner 52 Heart Butte 44

Heart Butte Warriors 12 7 18 7 - 44

Turner Tornadoes 11 15 14 12 - 52

Heart Butte: Shayana Campbell 0-1 2-2 2, Shealyn ArrowTop 4-8 1-3 9, Cha'lissa Kipp 4-18 0-2 11, Rita Williamson 3-6 0-0 7, Deandra Little Dog 0-0 0-0 0, Chas'lin Kipp 4-8 1-2 9, Tearra CalfBossRibs 1-1 0-2 2, Azurdee Aimsback 1-2 0-0 2, Alia Heavy Runner 1-2 0-0 2. Team Totals 18-16 4-11 44.

Turner: Raegan Conlan 0-11 3-5 3, Sarah Billmayer 6-10 11-14 25, Rylee Conlan 3-14 0-3 6, Melanie Watkins 5-9 0-0 10, Brandy Calvert0-1 0-1 0, Shyan Krass 3-7 2-2 8. Team Totals 17-52 16-25 52.

Three Point - Turner 2-14 (Sarah Billmayer 2-3, Raegan Conlan 0-6, ), Heart Butte 4-17 (Cha'lissa Kipp 3-10, Rita Williamson 1-3); Rebounds - Turner 35 (Melanie Watkins 13, Rylee Conlan 8), Heart Butte 35 (Shealyn ArrowTop 7); Assists - Turner 1 (Sarah Billmayer 1), Heart Butte 4 (Chas'lin Kipp 2); Total Fouls - Turner 11, Heart Butte 19; Fouled Out - Heart Butte (Shealyn ArrowTop).

First Round

Belt 60 Turner 20

Belt Huskies 19 17 13 11 - 60

Turner Tornadoes 4 6 4 6 - 20

Belt: Morgan Cooper 1-6 0-0 3, Kyelie Marquis 5-9 0-1 10, Briana Wall 1-3 0-0 2, Shelby Paulson 4-12 1-1 10, Dani Urick 7-10 2-2 17, Grace Norstedt 0-0 1-2 1, Kolby Pimperton 2-9 0-0 5, Ryan Shraner 1-3 0-0 2, Abby Gliko 0-0 1-4 1, Adelle Meissner 1-3 1-2 3, Adrien Malek 2-4 1-2 6. Team Totals 24-59 7-14 60.

Turner: Raegan Conlan 0-3 0-0 0, Sarah Billmayer 1-5 1-4 3, Rylee Conlan 1-5 2-2 4, Melanie Watkins 1-4 1-3 3, Brandy Calvert 0-0 0-0 0, Laci Maloney 0-0 0-0 0, Brooke Reed 1-2 1-2 3, Shyan Krass 1-4 5-6 7, Lacey Hickel 0-0 0-0 0. Team Totals 5-24 10-17 20.

Three Point - Turner 0-3, Belt 5-28 (Dani Urick 1, Morgan Cooper 1, Shelby Paulson 1, Kolby Pimperton 1, Adrien Malek 1); Rebounds - Turner 22 (Melanie Watkins 7), Belt 29 (Kolby Pimperton 6); Assists - Turner 3 (Melanie Watkins 2), Belt 11 (Three with 2); Total Fouls - Turner 11, Belt 16; Fouled Out - None.

Loser Out

Turner 63 Great Falls Central 46

Great Falls Central 11 12 14 9 - 46

Turner Tornadoes 23 11 11 18 - 63

GFCC: Mackenzy Leray 0-1 0-0 0, Grace Madill 1-6 0-0 2, Emily Pahut 2-4 1-1 5, Hattie Fauque 1-3 0-4 2, Sydney Hill 4-11 2-4 13, Bryn Anderson 7-13 0-0 18, Bre Cook 2-9 0-0 6. Team Totals 17-47 3-9 46.

Turner: Raegan Conlan 3-10 0-2, Sarah Billmayer 6-11 4-8 17, Rylee Conlan 1-3 5-6 7, Melanie Watkins 3-5 2-2 9, Brandy Calvert 0-2 0-0 0, Brooke Reed 0-0 0-0 0, Shyan Krass 7-14 8-10 22. Team Totals 20-45 1- 28 63.

Three Point - Turner 4-9 (Raegan Conlan 2-4, Sarah Billmayer 1-4, Melamie Watkins 1-1), GFCC 9-25 (4-6, Sydney Hill 3-9, Bre Cook 2-8); Rebounds - Turner 38 (Melanie Watkins 9, Rylee Conlan 9), GFCC 20 (Grace Madill 4, Mackenzy Leray 4); Assists - Turner 13 (Rylee Conlan 4), GFCC 7 (Seven with 1); Total Fouls - Turner 8, GFCC 18; Fouled Out - None.

Loser Out

Tri City 60 Turner 52

Tri City Titans 14 15 17 14 - 60

Turner Tornadoes 6 19 15 12 - 52

Turner junior Rylee Conlan lets a three point shot go as the Tornadoes took on the Belt Huskies Thursday afternoon.

Tri City: Chloe Derks 7-10 2-3 17, Dakota Auck 0-0 0-0 0, Savannah Hildreth 3-7 1-2 10, Sami Connerton 2-2 3-6 7, Kristen Vincent 2-7 2-3 6, Brooke Granat 0-0 0-0 0, Mamie Hertel 2-6 3-4 9, Claire Stvenson 0-2 2-2 2, Brianna Bergum 3-7 3-6 9. Team Totals 19-43 16-26 60.

Turner: Raegan Conlan 2-6 1-1 7, Sarah Billmayer 8-19 0-0 17, Rylee Conlan 3-4 2-2 10, Melanie Watkins 1-5 3-4 5, Brandy Calvert 0-0 0-0 0, Shyan Krass 6-8 1-2 13. Team Totals 20-42 7-9 52.

Three Point - Turner 5-13 (Raegan Conlan 2, Rylee Conlan 1, Sarah Billmayer 1), Tri City 6 (Savannah Hildreth 3, Mamie Hertel 2, Chloe Derks 1); Rebounds - Turner 24 (Shyan Krass 8), Tri City 21 (Brianna Bergum 5); Assists - Turner 13 Sarah Billmayer 6), Tri City 10 (Sami Connerton 4); Total Fouls - Turner 17, Tri City 13; Fouled Out - None.

 
 

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