MALTA — The Glasgow Scotties got the Northern B boys divisional off to a rousing start with a fourth-seed win over a top seed, and Poplar, Malta and Fairview followed with other first-round victories Thursday.
The Scotties tipped Fairfield, last weekend’s 1B champion, 64-53 in the tournament’s first game. In games that followed, Poplar defeated Shelby 66-47, Malta rolled past Chinook 87-43, and Fairview defeated Cut Bank 63-42
Friday’s schedule has Fairfield and Shelby in a loser-out game at 1 p.m., followed by Chinook and Cut Bank at 2:30 in another loser-out game. In semifinal action, Glasgow and Poplar battle at 6:30 p.m., with Malta taking on Fairview at 8 p.m.
Glasgow 64, Fairfield 53
The Scotties had three players score 15 points or more as they advanced to the semifinal round with a win over District 1B’s top-seeded Eagles.
Wyatt Babb scored a team-high 17 points, aided by a 5-for-6 performance from the free-throw line in the fourth quarter, Myles Yoakam sank five 3-pointers for 16 points, and Cade Hudyma finished with 15 points to pace Glasgow, the fourth seed from the 2B.
Glasgow was 0 for 3 from the foul line in the first half but made 9 of 14 from the charity stripe in the fourth quarter. Glasgow hit eight 3-pointers and Fairfield made nine from beyond the arc.
Deron Lear hit four 3-pointers to lead Fairfield with 18 points. Reed Von Stein added 10 points for the Eagles, who trailed 31-24 at the half.
Poplar 66, Shelby 47
Poplar hit seven 3-pointers in a 29-point second quarter to erase a first-quarter deficit and run away from the Coyotes.
Walker Burshia paced the Indians with 18 points and Kaniel Ricker (15 points) and Geordy Medicine Cloud (12 points) also hit double figures.
Medicine Cloud made three of his team-high four 3-pointers in the second quarter to help Poplar turn an 11-8 deficit after the first quarter into a 37-21halftime lead.
Shelby was led by the 15 points of Kyle McDermott and 14 from Randon Richman.
Malta 87, Chinook 43
Six Mustangs reached double figures and Malta used a strong first half to get by Chinook.
Duke Williamson scored a team-high 19 points and Bohdi Brenden and Treyton Wilke had 13 each to power Malta, which scored 59 first-half points and led by 31 points at the break.
Malta sank nine 3-pointers from six players and received 11 points each from Dawson Hammond and Stockton Oxarart. Carson Ottinger also reached double figures with 10 points.
Jackson Nordboe paced Chinook with 15 points.
Fairview 63, Cut Bank 42
Jake Tjelde scored 16 of his game-high 28 points in the second quarter to help Fairview sprint into the semifinals with a win over Cut Bank.
Tate Monroe, who finished with a team-high 18 points, lifted Cut Bank to a 14-12 lead with nine points in the first quarter.
But the Warriors, propelled by Tjelde, outscored Cut Bank 23-5 in the second quarter and went on from there.
Landon Thompson added 13 points and Tyler Loan 12 for the Warriors, who shot just five free throws on the night but made them all.
Jaydas Running Wolf added 11 points for Cut Bank.
