BUTTE – The Anaconda Copperheads paid a trip to their rivals from Butte for a boys and girls basketball doubleheader against Butte Central.
In the boys game, the Maroons built an early 18-3 lead behind senior Cade Holter, who had an exceptional night in only three quarters of total play. The full-court pressure and man-to-man defense stunned the Copperheads, who had no answer unless it was junior Dylan Smith knocking down the occasional 3-pointer. Central got some bench players in the game and Patrick Dolan didn’t waste his opportunity, knocking down the first four 3s he took. Central rolled, 62-27.
In the girls game, Butte Central, who donned pink jerseys for breast cancer awareness, was looking to complete the Maroons’ sweep of rival Anaconda. In a much more evenly matched game, it was Anaconda getting the early lead with strong guard play from Lyndsey Seitzinger and easy transition buckets stemming from Logan Stetzner’s pesky defense. The Maroons countered with freshman Sofie Thatcher, giving Butte Central the lead in the third quarter going on a 10-0 run all by herself. It came down to the game’s final possession. Butte Central had the ball with less than three seconds, inbounding by the Copperheads’ basket. The ball was cleanly inbounded, but the ensuing shot was blocked by a wall of Anaconda players as the Copperheads survived in a 46-45 nail biter.
