HELENA -- Less than 24 hours after falling to the Kalispell Glacier Wolfpack in overtime, the Helena High Bengals roared back to down the Kalispell Flathead Braves 58-49 in a Western AA boys basketball game on Saturday.
The Bengals trailed 22-20 at the half thanks in part to Joston Cripe's seven first-half points, but at halftime someone slipped sophomore Kaden Huot the keys to the game. Huot knocked down five 3s en route to his game-high 22 points. The Bengals snatched the lead at the end of the fourth quarter, 46-39, and refused to give it up on the way to their win over the Braves. Cripe led the Braves with 13 points.
Across town in Helena, the Capital Bruins played host to the Kalispell Glacier Wolfpack and continued to solidify their spot near the top of the standings with a 54-37 win over the Wolfpack.
Through the first quarter, the Wolfpack hung tough with the Bruins down only 15-13, but they struggled in the second recording only four points, giving the Bruins an eleven-point lead headed to the break. The Wolfpack came out of the break with a bit of fire, chipping away at the lead slightly, but another quarter of struggles in the fourth doomed their comeback.
The Bruins had three players with game high's of 11 points, Trevor Swanson, Parker Johnston and Malachi Syvrud all hit the double digit mark, with Syvrud being the lone Bruin to do so off the Bench. Weston Price led the Wolfpack with 10 points on the day.
