GREAT FALLS — The Northern C divisional boys and girls basketball tournaments continued Wednesday at the Four Seasons Arena in Great Falls with four more first-round games and a handful of loser-out contests.
The Belt girls and Simms boys notched wins Wednesday to advance to the semifinals in the afternoon games. In the late sessions, the Fort Benton and Roy-Winifred girls won to set up a semifinal date.
GIRLS: Belt 58, Augusta 45
The Belt girls pulled away from Augusta in the second half for a 58-45 win in the first round of the Northern C divisional tournament.
Lindsey Paulson scored a game-high 18 points for Belt and pulled down nine rebounds. Sabrina Wing added 15 points, while Raily Gliko scored 10.
Augusta jumped out to a five-point lead in the first quarter and remained within striking distance until Belt built a double-digit lead in the fourth quarter to put the game out of reach.
Olivia Isakson led the Elks with 13 points, 11 rebounds and four blocks. Freshman Payton Levine added 11 points for Augusta but was held without a field goal in the second half.
Belt moves on to the Northern C semifinals, where it will face District 9C champion North Star on Thursday at 6 p.m.
Augusta will face Geraldine-Highwood in loser-out action on Thursday at 8 a.m. after the Rivals defeated Cascade earlier in the day to stay alive in the consolation bracket.
BOYS: Simms 65, Roy-Winifred 45
The Simms boys jumped out to an 8-0 lead in the first quarter and never looked back, holding off and pulling away from Roy-Winifred in a 65-45 win.
Carter McDowell led the Tigers with 18 points off the bench. Dallin Nelson added 16 points and nine rebounds, while Caden Smerker had 12 points, five assists and three steals. Kaidin Thibert joined his teammates in double figures with 10 points.
Roy-Winifred pulled within two points in the first half, but every Outlaw run was answered by the Tigers. Justin Stulc led all scorers with 21 points and seven rebounds in defeat with Brody Geer adding 15 points.
Simms moves on to the semifinal and will face District 9C champion Fort Benton, while Roy-Winifred faces Chester Joplin-Inverness on Friday at 8 a.m. in loser-out action. CJI defeated Winnett-Grass Range 52-51 in a loser-out game on Wednesday.
GIRLS: Fort Benton 78, Valier 31
The Fort Benton girls used a relentless full-court press to quickly dispatch Valier in a 78-31 win to advance to the semifinal.
Fort Benton led 30-9 at the end of the first quarter, then 52-20 at halftime. Aspen Giese scored 21 of her 23 points in the first half and also recorded seven assists to lead the Longhorns. Ashlee and Hailee Wang each contributed 12 points. Eric Ramsey was the lone Panther in double digits with 10 points.
Fort Benton advanced to the semifinal round to play Roy-Winifred.
Valier moves to a Thusday morning 10 a.m. loser-out game against Box Elder.
GIRLS: Roy-Winifred 44, Box Elder 19
Roy-Winifred started hot and then outlasted Box Elder in the second half to take home a 44-19 win.
Megan Bergum scored 13 points, making 4 of her 6 attempts from beyond the 3-point arc, to lead the Outlaws. Jayda Southworth added 11 points, while Isabelle Heggem recorded 10 points and seven blocks. Kyla Momberg led Box Elder with seven points.
Roy-Winifred advances to face Fort Benton in the semifinal round. Box Elder will play Valier in a loser-out game at 10 a.m.
WEDNESDAY RESULTS AND SCHEDULE
BOYS
Chester-Joplin-Inverness 52, Winnett-Grass Range 51, loser-out
Simms 65, Roy-Winifred 45, first round
GIRLS
Geraldine-Highwood 45, Cascade 29, loser-out
Belt 58, Augusta 45, first round
Fort Benton 78, Valier 31, first round
Roy-Winifred 44, Box Elder 19, first round
