HAMILTON — The Twin Bridges Lady Falcons were expected to win the Western C Divisional Tournament. Last year’s Western C champions were a year older and stars RaeAnne Bendon and Kailee Oliverson progressed accordingly.
Bendon and Oliverson shined in a 12C District Championship victory over the Ennis Mustangs on February 17 and the foes matched up once again for the divisional title on Saturday night. The Falcons won the game 37-35, but it wasn’t in a fashion anybody would have expected.
While Bendon and Oliverson remained relatively quiet, guards Michaela Madden and Clancy Phillips stepped up on the big stage, combining for 19 of the team’s 37 points. The duo also hit five three-pointers in the game. But these results did not come as a surprise to the girls.
“I see us as a family — we’re all one,” Madden explained. “Kailee and RaeAnne — they really step up their game — (but) I think what makes us such a great team is that we all can step up and do that.”
Twin finished third at state last season, after losing to the eventual champion Belt. The Huskies were knocked out of the Northern C divisional tournament on Saturday, meaning that there will be a new champion. The Falcons will be among the favorites to take home the hardware, but it will need more team performances along the way.
“We have to have the mindset that we have to take it one game at a time,” Phillips said. “We have to lean on each other. It’s not only a two person game, (we need it) out of everyone at this time.”
Twin will begin its quest for a title this Thursday in Butte.
