The Chinook Sugarbeeters regained their winning ways this past week with a pair of wins over the Hays/Lodge Pole Thunderbirds Friday night 45-34 and the Big Sandy Pioneers Saturday 54-30 to even their season record at 6-6 and improved to 4-5 in conference play.

The Turner Tornadoes also found the win column this past week as they completed their season sweep of the Dodson Coyotes Tuesday night with a 56-30 win.

The Tornadoes then suffered a pair of tough losses to the North Star Knights 49-36 and the Fort Benton Longhorns 49-45 to close out the week.

The Harlem Wildcats dropped the pair over the weekend falling to the Malta M-ettes 61-41 and the Wolf Point Wolves 52-47 in District 2B play.

The Thunderbirds of Hays Lodge Pole put up a fight against the Chester-Joplin-Inverness Hawks Saturday before following 53-43 in the contest.

The Tornadoes never let the Dodson Coyotes in the contest as they held a 18-4 advantage after one quarter of action and pushed the lead to 34-13 entering halftime.

Turner extended the advantage to 49-20 by the start of the fourth quarter as they completing the season sweep of the Dodson Coyotes with a lopsided 56-30 win.

Senior Ella Billmayer paved the way for the Tornadoes with 13 points, sophomore Riley Conlan added nine and senior Renee Watkins contributed 8, eighth grader Shyan Krass also scored eight for the tornadoes.

Chinook held a 15-2 to advantage over the Hays/Lodge Pole Thunderbirds before taking a 24-13 lead into halftime.

The Thunderbirds trimmed two points off to Chinook lead outscoring the Sugarbeeters 9-7 in the third quarter and closing the deficit to 31-22 with 8 minutes to go

Chinook would secure the 45-34 Conference win behind the efforts of 15 points from junior Sierra Swank, senior Brooke Elliot added eight for the 'Beeters in the contest.

The Thunderbirds were led by sophomore Muhleeha Stiffarm and her 11 points.

Thunderbird sophomore Rayleigh Kirkaldie added 13 points in the contest.

The Sugarbeeters got four first half three point bombs from Swank Saturday against Big Sandy as Chinook took a 31-18 halftime lead.

Senior Brooke Elliot added a half dozen in the first half helping Chinook to take control of the contest in the second quarter.

Chinook extended the lead in the third quarter before securing the 54-30 win.

Swank led the offensive attack for the 'Beeters with 19 points, including twelve from beyond the arc.

Elliot scored 12 points in the contest as Chinook completed the season sweep of the Pioneers.

Keri Hanson

Chinook sophomore Kourtney Hanson scores a fourth quarter basket in Chinook's win over Big Sandy.

The District 9C Tournament is just three weeks away and the Box Elder Bears currently hold the top seed.

The Turner Tornadoes fall to 4-4 in District 9C play and 8-4 overall and hold the number four seed.

Chinook maintains the five seed while the Thunderbirds have the seventh seed.

The top two teams at the District 9C Tournament will advance to the Northern C Divisional in Great Falls the following week.

The District 9C Tournament will be played February 15-18 at the Havre High School gym.