COLUMBUS – The Huntley Project Red Devils and the Columbus Cougars will meet for the 4B District Championship on Saturday night, after each won semifinals on Friday.
Huntley Project busted open 29-29 tie with a 13-2 run to open the fourth quarter and outlasted Red Lodge, 48-37, in Columbus.
The Red Devils jumped out to 27-18 halftime lead behind the passing and scoring of Emily Poole, but the Rams came storming back with an 11-2 run to begin the third quarter.
Two post buckets from Dorothy Mastel highlighted the Red Lodge run.
Huntley Project ended the third with a bucket to take a two-point lead into the final quarter and it was all Red Devils after that.
A steal by Macee Murphy and score by Josie Peterson started the fourth quarter charge and Huntley Project never looked back.
The difference in the game came on the defensive end. Huntley Project poured in 20 points off turnovers, while the Rams responeded with only eight.
Amanda Cranford led the way for Huntley Project with 20 points, while Poole scored 11 and added five assists.
In the second semifinal, Columbus opened the second quarter with a 7-0 run to turn a 12-8 deficit into a 15-12 lead over Roundup.
The Cougars carried that momentum the rest of the second quarter and led 21-16 at the half.
The two teams traded mini runs in the third quarter, as Columbus owned a four-point leading heading to the final quarter.
It was all Cougars and Payton West in the fourth. Columbus scored the first six points, while Roundup only scored one point in the entire quarter, as the Cougars took home the 39-28 victory.
West scored seven for Columbus, while Brenna Rouanne led the Cougars with 10 points. Blythe Sealey led Roundup with 14 points and seven boards.
Columbus and Huntley Project will meet in the 4B championship game Saturday night at around 8:00 p.m.
