HELENA – Lexi Deden had a game-high 15 points and Emma Blakely chipped in with 12 as No. 3 Missoula Sentinel defeated No. 1 Helena Capital 51-32 on Saturday afternoon. It was the first loss of the season for Capital.
Sentinel, last year’s Class AA runner-up, jumped out to a four-point lead after the first quarter and outscored the Lady Bruins 27-16 in the first half. The Lady Spartans never looked back, outscoring Capital in each quarter during the win.
Deden was dominant inside, causing problems for the Helena Capital defense. Meanwhile, Blakely led a daunting Sentinel press that forced uncharacteristic turnovers from Bill Pilgeram’s squad. Blakely, along with sisters Jordyn and Shelby Schweyen, took advantage of the miscues. Shelby, the younger of the pair, had six points while Jordyn added five.
Capital was led by Megan Lindbo and Kacie Gross, who each scored nine points in the loss. Taylor Sullivan was held to only four points.
Sentinel (9-1, 4-0) takes over the No. 1 spot in the Western AA Conference and will likely be the new top-ranked team in the MontanaSports.com power rankings. Capital fell to 9-1 overall and 3-1 in league play.
