Three Forks season ends at Divisional Tournament

The Three Forks High School Boys' Basketball team had its season come to an end with a dramatic 50-48 elimination game loss to Jefferson (Boulder) on March 1 at the Southern B Divisional Tournament in Billings.

After falling to Lodge Grass 74-66 in the opening round on February 28, the Wolves (14-9) were hot out of the gates in their fourth game of the season against the Panthers. The winner of the first three games against their district rivals, Three Forks jumped out to a 16-4 lead at the end of the first quarter.

The Panthers would outscore the Wolves 16-13 in the second quarter to make it a 29-20 game going into the half.

Jefferson would again outscore Three Forks by three in the third quarter to cut the lead to 37-31 going into the fourth.

It was a wild final quarter, with Boulder taking their first lead since early in the first after a basket with 2:16 left in regulation to put them up 43-42.

Moments later, with the game tied at 45, Hunter Feddes would drain a three-pointer for the Wolves to put them up 48-45. Boulder would score the final five points to secure the victory.

Feddes led Three Forks in scoring with 11 points, and Dylan Swenson was also in double figures with 10. Kanon Reichman finished with seven, Shane Williams had six, Sam Tesoro and Caleb Van Vleet finished with five, and Colten Hayder finished with four.

Hunter Feddes secures a rebound against the Indians. Voice photo by Melissa Jenkins

OPENING ROUND

In a back-and-forth game that featured plenty of runs by both teams, the Three Forks High School Boys' Basketball team opened the Southern B Divisional Tournament at the Metra in Billings on February 28 with a 74-66 loss to Lodge Grass.

Three Forks would come storming back after falling behind 10-0 with 5:45 left in the opening quarter.

After tying the game at 14-14 with two Hayder free throws with 15.5 seconds left in the first, Van Vleet would get a rebound off a free throw, and his put back at the buzzer gave the Wolves a 16-14 lead going into the second.

Three Forks would stretch the lead to 21-14 before the Indians went a run to go up 28-25 midway through the quarter. The Wolves would pull within 32-31 on a Williams bucket with 12 seconds in the quarter before Lodge Grass would drain a three with time running out to give them a 35-31 halftime lead.

"We held our composure well in the first quarter. We kept that going into the second, but we let them hit a few threes, and we started turning the ball over," Head Coach Terry Hauser said.

Like the opening quarter, the Indians were hot to start the third and quickly pushed the lead to 43-33. Three Forks would pull to within 50-45 on two Van Vleet free throws late in the quarter before Lodge Grass again hit a three in the closing moments of the quarter to push the lead to 53-45 at the end of three.

It was a positive start to the fourth quarter for the Wolves, who pulled to within 55-52 after a Swenson bucket and ensuing free throw with 5:40 left in the regulation.

The Indians would answer right back, building a 66-55 lead with 3:21 remaining.

Three Forks was led in scoring by Williams, who had a game-high 19 points. Swenson finished with 17, and Kanon Reichman was also in double figures with 10. Feddes finished with nine, Van Vleet finished with eight, and Hayder added three points.

Shane Williams readies to box out in the opening round game. Voice photo by Melissa Jenkins

"We had over 20 turnovers and shot 17 of 30 from the free throw line. You can't beat good teams doing that," Hauser said.