HELENA — With the Class AA basketball playoffs finally under way, the Helena Capital boys and girls teams are set to host play-in games to the Class AA state tournament.
The Bruins girls will host the Kalispell Flathead Bravettes on Thursday. Though the Capital girls were Western AA champions and officially Class AA co-champions with Billings West last year, the Bruins are on the hunt for a Class AA state title this season.
“We've got more chemistry than most teams have and the talent on this team is huge," said Helena Capital senior Dani Bartsch. "When we play all together and we're not being selfish and we're just playing the best basketball we've ever played, I don't think there really is a team in the state that can stop us. So to have that confidence is huge.”
The Helena Capital Girls donned shirts that read, "What is delayed, cannot be denied,” at practice on Wednesday in reference to not getting the chance to play for that state title last year as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. The slogan shows how the Bruins truly feel.
“We just want to come out this season and prove, like, we should have won last season, and we can do it again this year,” said Bartsch.
The Bruins boys will host the Missoula Big Sky Eagles before the girls matchup with Flathead. In lieu of a divisional tournament this season, Class AA chose to go with play-in games with the higher seed hosting the game. Bruins senior Tyler Tenney believes the format of the postseason this year will work in the Bruins' favor.
“I kind of like the play-in game, especially having a home game. It'll be nice for us, little advantage,” said Tenney.
The Capital boys will host the Eagles on Thursday at 5 p.m. and the Capital girls will host the Bravettes at 7 p.m.
