WHITEFISH — Dillon and Bigfork flexed their muscles to begin the Western A girls basketball divisional tournament Thursday at Whitefish High School. The Beavers and Valkyries cruised to first-round wins over Ronan and Butte Central, respectively, to set up a meeting in Friday's semifinal round at 3:30 p.m.
Columbia Falls also reached the semifinals with a 51-37 win over Hamilton. In the final game of the first day, Frenchtown used a strong second half to pull away from Browning, 66-40.
Columbia Falls and Frenchtown will meet at 5 p.m. in Friday's second semifinal.
Ronan and Butte Central will play a loser-out game at 9 a.m. Friday. Browning takes on Hamilton in a second loser-out game at 10:30 a.m.
Dillon 59, Ronan 29
Dillon jumped out to a 14-1 lead at the end of the first quarter and never looked back in its 59-29 win over Ronan.
Kenleigh Graham scored eight points in the opening quarter and finished with a game-high 14 for the Beavers. Kylie Konen and Lundri Hartman each added 12 points for Dillon, and Sage Tash had nine.
Bigfork 51, Butte Central 24
Braedon and Paeten Gunlock scored 14 points apiece as Bigfork opened its tournament with a 51-24 win over Butte Central.
Paeten scored all her points in the first half as the Valkryies sped out to a 31-8 halftime lead. Butte Central didn’t score in the second quarter.
Zayona Otherbull led the Maroons with 11 points.
Columbia Falls 51, Hamilton 37
Taryn Borgen led Columbia Falls with 16 points to help push the Wildkats past the Broncs.
Leading by four after the first quarter, Columbia Falls built a 25-11 halftime lead and never really let Hamilton back into the game.
Ashlynn McKern led the Broncs with 20 points. Ella Griffin added 11.
Frenchtown 66, Browning 40
Mason Quinn scored 23 points and Heather Haskins added 15 to help power Frenchtown into the semis with a 66-40 win over Browning.
The Broncs broke the game open in the second half, outscoring Browning 39-21 over the final two quarters.
Nyahrae Tatsey hit four 3-pointers and scored 14 points to lead Browning.
