BOZEMAN — A new crosstown rivalry started in Bozeman, as the Hawks boys basketball team took on the Gallatin Raptors in their first-ever matchup Thursday night.
Gallatin came out to play, stunning Bozeman for a 62-60 win.
The Raptors took a 15-14 first-quarter advantage and led at one point in the game by as many as 10.
The Hawks kept it close, though, and down one point with less than a minute left, the Hawks stole the Raptors' cross-court pass and junior Trent Rogers drove it all the way down the court, making a contested shot to give Bozeman High a 60-59 lead.
On the next possession, the Raptors' Evan Cherry was fouled on a shot attempt and made one of two from the free throw line to tie it up.
Off the inbounds pass, Hawks junior Bryson Zanto tried bringing up the ball with 12 seconds left, but Raptors sophomore Logan Springer smacked it out of his hands and teammate Garrett Dahlke ended up with ball and drove down the court with ice in his veins to make the layup to put Gallatin up 62-60 with four seconds left. Bozeman would have two shots at the basket to tie or win it but was unable to convert.
It's the first win in Gallatin program history, and the Raptors are now 1-2. Bozeman falls to 2-1.
Gallatin juniors Rylan Schlepp and Tyler Nansel each had a team-high 14 points. Bozeman junior Ty Huse had a game-high 25 points.
