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Owen Long had a team-high 16 points in the victory. Voice photo by Melissa Jenkins.
Mayson Shively had eight points for the Wolves. Voice photo by Melissa Jenkins.
While it may have taken the Three Forks High School boys basketball team a little while to get the lead in Tuesday night's 5B District opening round home game against Big Timber, once they did, they never let their foot off the gas in a 57-40 home victory.
Trailing for the first three-plus quarters, the Wolves took their first lead on the game on an Owen Long layup with 2:55 left in the third and outscored the visiting Herders 30-14 in the final 11 minutes.
With the win, the fourth-seeded Wolves advance to the semifinals and a Thursday matchup at top-seeded Manhattan. Tip-off is scheduled for 6 p.m.
Following the game, Head Coach Terry Hauser said his team might have been a little nervous, was not getting rebounds, and could not get out in transition.
He added he does not remember his team being down at half this season and coming back to get the victory and praised his team for handling the adversity.
It was a low-scoring first half, with Big Timber taking a 13-10 at the end of the first quarter and a 22-16 halftime lead. Three Forks did not lead in the opening half but did pull even at 15 on a second-quarter three-pointer from Mayson Shively.
The Wolves outscored the Herders 16-6 in the third and 25-12 in the fourth.
Long led a balanced Three Forks scoring attack with 16, Jacob Buchignani had 15, and Austin Allen was also in double figures with 14. Shively added eight, and Shane Williams finished with four.
Looking towards Thursday, Hauser knows his team cannot start slow again.
"We come out flat like that we will be in trouble,' he said.
THREE FORKS GIRLS
The Three Forks High School girls basketball team is also moving on to the semifinals after a 33-18 road victory over Townsend. The fourth-seeded Wolves will play Thursday, February 25 at top-ranked and undefeated Big Timber.
Ashlyn Swenson led the team in scoring with 10, Jayden Woodland added eight, and Jasmyn Murphy finished with seven. Kinzee Howey and Lily Jones each had three, and Addison Pestel added two points.
