The Blaine County Journal News-Opinion - We've Got The County Covered

The start of MHSA High School basketball across the state was delayed until the new year, and the Turner Tornadoes welcomed the Hays/Lodge Pole Thunderbirds to town this past Saturday to begin the 2021 District 9C season. The Harlem Lady Cats began their 2021 campaign on the road in Cut Bank against the District 1B Wolves.

Harlem Wildcats @ Cut Bank Wolves

Cut Bank started out with a flurry, taking a quick 5-0 lead but junior Taya Trottier connected from beyond the arc with 6:20 left in the first to get the Lady Cats on the board, 5-3. Senior Alaynee Hawley grabbed a pair of rebounds to keep the possession alive, eventually scoring in the paint to even the contest at 5-5.

The Wolves converted from long range but Trottier answered back with an old fashioned three point play to trim the advantage to 11-8. Freshman Alaura Hawley evened the contest moments later with a free throw at 11-11. Alaynee then dished a dime to Trottier cutting to the basket for the Lady Cats first lead of the contest at 13-11.

Trottier capped a huge first quarter effort with a pair of steals in the waning seconds for easy layups and a 17-11 Lady Cat lead heading into the second quarter. Trottier scored 9 of the teams 17 first quarter points.

Trottier started the second by drawing the defense to her then finding junior Chloe Messerly for an easy score inside and a 19-11 lead. Senior Gabi Bell kept the offense rolling with a long three to double up the Wolves 22-11.

The Wolves rattled off six straight points but Bell answered with a bank three from the top of the circle and Alaura scored underneath to give Harlem a 27-17 advantage with four minutes remaining in the opening half.

Trottier scored again to push the lead to 31-20 and then found Alaynee all alone by the basket for a 13 point lead 33-20. Trottier and Alaynee connected again on the next trip down the floor. Finding her stride, Alaynee converted on back to back fast breaks to stretch the lead to 39-23 with time winding down in the half. Harlem would take a commanding 42-23 lead after Alaynee banked a three point bomb in at the buzzer. Alaynee scored the final 11 points of the half for the Lady Cats.

The Lady Cats continued to keep their foot on the gas coming out of the break. Trottier dropped in seven points and Messerly added six and Hawley four giving the Lady Cats a 62-34 lead entering the fourth quarter.

Trottier connected from beyond the arc and junior Vanice Little scored twice down the stretch. Harlem got some good game time for the younger kids down the stretch as they cruised to a 79-57 season opening win.

Trottier led the way for the Lady Cats with 23 points in the win. Hawley finished with 22 in the contest Messerly added 12 more in the paint.

Harlem 79 Cut Bank 57

Harlem 17 25 20 17 - 79

Cut Bank 11 12 11 23 - 57

Harlem - Alaura Hawley 2 1-2 5, Ma'Lea Moore 3 0-0 6, Savannah Jones 0 0-0 0, Gabi Bell 2 0-0 6, Alaynee Hawley 9 3-3 22, Tova Anderson 0 0-0 0, Vanise Little 2 0-0 4, Taya Trottier 9 3-4 23, CeCe Hegelson 1 0-0 2, Chloe Messerly 4 4-4 12. Team Totals 34 11-13 79.

Cut Bank - Tayleigh Runningfisher 0 1-2 1, Sadie Pepion 4 0-2 8, Jackie Waller 2 0-0 4, Aliyah Cruz 9 2-6 23, Sienna Spotted Bear 4 2-2 11, MacKenzie Johnson 0 1-2 1, Mariah Posey 2 1-2 5, Makenna Burke 0 0-0 0, Madison Baker 0 0-4 0. Team Totals 22 7-20 57.

Three Point Field Goals - Harlem 5 (Taya Trottier 2, Gabi Bell 2, Alaynee Hawley 1), Cut Bank 5 (Aliyah Cruz 3, Sienna Spotted Bear 1, Tayleigh Runningfisher 1); Team Fouls - Harlem 15, Cut Bank 12; Fouled Out - Cut Bank - Sadie Pepion.

Hays/Lodge Pole @ Turner Tornadoes

Turner got off to a good start getting six points from senior Shyan Krass and a three point bomb at the buzzer from junior Lacy Maloney to take a 13-8 lead into the second quarter. Thunderbirds found their mark from beyond the arc in the opening stanza as well as both senior Ella Messerly and sophomore Nashone Shambo connected from long range.

Senior Brooke Reed scored while drawing the fouls, then converted from the charity stripe for a 16-8 Turner lead. Freshman Aliyah Pretty Paint answered for the Thunderbirds and Shambo finished at the rim to trim the Turner lead to four. Reed then took a nice pass on the low block from Krass for another basket to put Turner up 18-12.

Shambo then found her mark from distance to bring the Thunderbirds within three at 18-15. Krass then made a beautiful pass to a cutting Reed to push the lead back to five. Reed tallied nine points in the second quarter to power the Tornado offense. The teams headed to intermission with Turner on top 26-17.

Freshman Emma Billmayer started the third quarter with a three point bomb and then Reed followed with a bucket off an offensive rebound. Billmayer then connected again from beyond the arc to double up the Thunderbirds 34-17. Messerly connected again from long range as did junior Jaedyn Chandler to bring the Thunderbirds back within six.

The Thunderbirds finished the third quarter strong. Shambo finished off the break and moments later Messerly drained a bomb from well beyond the arc to cut the lead back to 12 at 34-22.

The Tornadoes began the fourth quarter with a slim 38-32 lead as both teams looked to secure that first win. The Tornadoes quickly seized the momentum getting baskets from Krass inside and beyond the arc from Billmayer to go up 48-24

With 2:49 remaining the Thunderbirds were not gonna go away quietly. Senior Sierra Chandler drained a corner three from the right side and Shambo followed with a nice bucket in the paint to cut into the lead 48-39. Krass answered with a pair from the charity stripe at the other end to push the lead back to 11 for the Tornadoes at 50-39.

Krass added an and-1 to push the lead to 14 at 53-39 but Messerly answered right back with a long three with :49 showing on the clock to cut it back to 53-42. The Tornadoes finished the game strong and earned a 58-43 win to start the season.

Harlem senior Alaynee Hawley scores a basket late in the first half during the Lady Cats season opening 79-57 win over the Wolves. Hawley had a huge opening night for the Lady Cats, finishing the contest with 22 points.

Krass paved the way for Turner with a team high 19 points. Reed added 15 for the Tornadoes in the win. Billmayer added 13 points to the Tornado tally. The Thunderbirds were paced by Messerly with 19 and Shambo with 11.

Turner 58 Hays/Lodge Pole 43

Hays/Lodge Pole 8 9 15 11 - 43

Turner 13 13 12 20 - 58

Hays/L.P. - Nashone Shambo 4 1-2 11, Ella Messerly 7 1-2 19, Judemia Gray 0 0-0 0, Kassie Perez 0 0-0 0, Sierra Chandler 2 0-0 4, Alliya Pretty Paint 2 0-0 4, Jaedyn Chandler 2 0-0 5. Team Totals 17 2-4 43.

Turner - Dakota Krass 0 2-2 2, Emma Billmayer 5 0-1 13, Brandy Calvert 2 0-0 4, Laci Maloney 2 0-0 5, Brooke Reed 6 3-5 15, Shyan Krass 8 3-3 19, Hannah Richman 0 0-0 0. Team Totals 23 8-11 58.

Three Point Field Goals - Hays/L.P. 7 (Ella Messerly 4, Nashone Shambo 2, Jaedyn Chandler 1), Turner 4 (Emma Billmayer 3, Laci Maloney 1); Team Fouls - Hays/L.P. 17, Turner 12; Fouled Out - Hays/L.P. - Kassi Perez; Turner - Brandy Calvert