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2014 CLASS A
March 2014
STATE GIRLS BASKETBALL CHAMPS
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Rolling Right Along
Havre High girls win at Browning, crush Morning Stars at home Daniel Horton
Havre Daily News sports writer gferguson@havredailynews.com Over the last couple of weeks the Havre High girls basketball team has made it a habit of earning dominating and crucial victories. If the pattern continues, the Central A Blue Ponies should find themselves earning another regular-season and divisional-tournament title, as well as another berth in the Class A State basketball tournament in March. Over the weekend the Ponies grabbed two more wins. Friday night on the road, the Ponies managed to return from Browning with a narrow 70-63 conference win over the Indians. And Saturday at the Havre High gymnasium, the Ponies made short work of the Class B Rocky Boy Morning Stars, winning 69-44. The weekend sweep puts the Ponies at 4-0 in conference play and 7-3 overall. After the valuable conference win, the Ponies did get a chance to show off again for the home crowd. “Rocky Boy has a nice little team,” Havre High head coach Dustin Kraske said. “They did a nice job and played hard the entire game. I thought our kids played well, too. Both teams made some shots, and it ended up being a decent game.” Saturday the Ponies’ offense picked up right where it left off after Friday’s win, beating the Morning Stars with a dose of their own
medicine. The Ponies ran Rocky Boy out of the gym with buckets in transition and plenty of wide-open 3-pointers to go around. Out of the gate the Morning Stars were stride for stride with the Ponies. A bucket by Minnie The Boy at the 3:43 mark even closed the HHS gap to 9-8 in the first quarter. But in the closing moments the Ponies managed an 11-4 run that included eight points from Havre’s Brandy Lambourne. The offensive production continued for the Ponies while the Morning Stars struggled to keep the same productive pace. Havre erupted for 17 points in the second frame and another 20 in the third. The Ponies also outscored the Morning Stars 12-7 in the final frame to ensure the big win. Rocky Boy did put up 17 in the third, but it wasn’t enough to close the gap, even with two 3-pointers by Chanal Standing Rock and another trey by The Boy. The Ponies took advantage of some Morning Star mistakes midway through the third to prevent Rocky Boy from gaining ground with a solid run. On three straight Rocky Boy turnovers, Havre hit three straight buckets to take a 48-27 lead. And even after Standing Rock was able to hit 3-pointers on consecutive possessions, Peyton Filius matched that with her two triples on consecutive possessions for the Ponies. Filius led the Ponies with 21
points. Lambourne tallied 20 while Morgan Mazurkiewicz and Lacey Waid scored eight points each. “Our kids played well, and even early on I think we passed up some open shots,” Kraske said. “But that is fine, we just need to do a little better offensively and get our baseline kids involved. I think we missed Haley Ohm and Lacey Waid a bit, so we need to a better job of that.” Rocky Boy was led by Standing Rock with 14 points, followed by Kylee Raining Bird’s 12. Jude The Boy finished with seven for the Morning Stars. The HHS offense was run-andgun Friday also, but the defense had some trouble limiting the Indians on their home court. Browning had two girls score in double digits, as Shelsey St. Goddard finished with 10 and Tiara Gilham finished with a game-high 24 points. “Browning was fantastic. They played hard, and Gilham played very, very well,” Kraske said. “But we knew it would be a battle. They are a very good basketball team, and we were fortunate to get out of their with a win. “They really keyed on Gilham, and you could tell she was in a groove,” Kraske added. “She made her first couple of shots and it was ‘here-we-go’ basically. She shot with confidence, and they did a nice job trying to get her the ball.
I think we were just a step slow early, then played OK, then were a step slow again. It was an interesting game. Browning was wonderful, but our kids battled for that win.” It was a back-and-forth game all night long, and the Ponies even saw their small lead disappear with about 4:00 left to play in regulation. After holding a 51-48 lead heading into the fourth quarter the Ponies soon found themselves trailing by one point. But, keeping their heads and continuing to execute, the Ponies made a nice run to retake the lead, eventually earning the win by a narrow seven points. Lambourne had another big game with 19 points, and the Ponies also got 17 from Morgan Mazurkiewicz. Filius finished with 16 points, while Ohm got 13 down low for HHS. “We are playing a lot more confident against the defense,” Filius said. “And I have a lot of confidence in my teammates, too. We are playing together really well lately and we have a great team dynamic right now. We try to play quick, but not hurried, and we try to play our tempo, not their tempo. We like to play fast.” “Our kids really executed and made some nice plays down the stretch,” Kraske added. “It was a total team effort, bottom line.
That is a tough place to play. Their fans really show their support. It showed the character of our kids. They did a nice job, took care of the pressure, got some baskets, and just did a fantastic job.” After another great weekend the Ponies will now prepare for two conference games on the road. Friday the Ponies will face the Rangers in Livingston and Saturday they will face the Panthers in Belgrade. Havre 70, Browning 63 Havre 17 11 21 19 – 70 Browning 14 12 22 15 – 63 Havre – Brandy Lambourne 19, Dani Wagner 2, Morgan Mazurkiewicz 17, Peyton Filius 16, Tori Mazurkiewicz 3, Haley Ohm 13. Totals: 23 17-23. Browning – Rachel Hepner 7, Courtney Littledog 6, Shelsey St. Goddard 10, Shelby St. Goddard 7, Tiara Gilham 24, Cydnie Sharp 4, Jayla Wells 2, Ivana Spotted Eagle 3. Totals: 22 13-22. Total fouls: Havre 20, Browning 18. Fouled out: T. Mazurkiewicz. Three pointers: Lambourne 3, M. Mazurkiewicz 2, Filius 2, Littledog 1, Shelsey St. Goddard 2, Gilham 2, Spotted Eagle 1. Havre 69, Rocky Boy 44 Rocky Boy 12 8 17 7 – 44 Havre 20 17 20 12 – 69 Rocky Boy — Jude The Boy 7, Chanal Standing Rock 14, Minnie The Boy 7, Jurnee Laforce 4, Kylee Raining Bird 12. Havre — Breck Don 3, Brandy Lambourne 20, Dani Wagner 2, Morgan Mazurkiewicz 8, Lacey Waid 8, Peyton Filius 21, Tori Mazurkiewicz 3, Lindsey Kudrna 4.
Blue Pony girls hit the road before taking on Morning Stars Saturday Daniel Horton
Havre Daily News sports writer gferguson@havredailynews.com The tough games keep coming for the Havre High girls basketball team, but so should the wins. Last weekend, the Central A Blue Ponies seemed to hit full stride with wins over Conrad and Lewistown. Now headed into another regular season weekend, the Ponies (3-0,53) will face two more talented programs. Conference games on the road make a tough matchup even tougher in the Central A. But the Ponies will look to continue their dominance over conference opponents tonight in Browning when they take on the Indians. The load doesn’t lighten too much when the Ponies return home on Saturday either, hosting the Class B Rocky Boy Morning Stars at the Havre High Gymnasium.
Saturday’s matchup has all the makings of an instant rivalry, but the Ponies are focused on the most meaningful game of the two — their matchup with the Indians. “We are focusing on our conference game on the road,” Havre High head coach Dustin Kraske said. “It is our first one of the season (on the road) and we are pretty excited to get over there and play. Browning is a nice basketball team, they are well coached, and they play hard, and always do a good job. But it is a tough place to win, so we have prepared in practice to play the best we can.” Browning is always pushing for one of the top spots in the conference, and the Indians do so with a number of talented guards that can run the floor and score from all over. The Indians are currently right in the middle of the Central A pack, but they have a talented
scorer in Tiara Gilham, who’s averaging 15 points per game and more than five rebounds per game. But Chelsey St. Goddard returns for the Indians and is pitching in more than seven-points per game so far this season. It is no secret that if a defense can’t keep up, the Indians can put up plenty of points, and can do so in a hurry. The Indians are averaging just over 55 points per game, and have posted more than 60-points five different times. Haley Ohm’s presence inside could be crucial for Havre. If the Indians are held to one shot opportunity on an offensive possession with Ohm dominating the boards, then the Ponies can get transition quicker and smoother into their own offense. It is a Blue Pony offense that isn’t afraid to get out and run themselves. With a slew of speedy guards the Ponies can get double digit scoring
from Lacey Waid, Morgan Mazurkiewicz, Tori Mazurkiewicz, Peyton Filius and Brandy Lambourne. HHS is averaging just under 50 points per game, but the offense is coming off a win last weekend where it posted 68 against Lewistown. The Ponies will look to keep that offensive production rolling in both games this weekend. The more they move the ball, the better that offense gets. “In my opinion, when you play Browning they try to make you play faster than what you want,” Kraske said. “Sometimes you maybe take the first shot available instead of the first best shot available, so that is going to be our focus. When we get in positions to score, we don’t need to take the first shot, but the best shot. We need to find the open kid and make the extra pass. Our kids have done that well in practice and I would anticipate they will con-
tinue to do that.” What the Ponies will see on Saturday out of the Morning Stars will look a lot like what they see tonight out of the Indians. Only the Morning Stars have been more boom or bust this season. Housing just three seniors and one junior on the roster, the Morning Stars have six underclassmen earning ample playing time. Senior Chanel Standing Rock, who played her sophomore year with the Blue Ponies, leads the way with her more than 20 points per game. She scored 40 against Harlem last month. Jude The Boy, Kylee Raining Bird, and 5-5 freshman Minnie The Boy also help carry the load on a team that can score in a hurry, but has also had their share of struggles this season. “It will be nice to play a team that we aren’t familiar with,” Kraske
■ See Morning Stars Page 29
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2014 CLASS A
March 2014
STATE GIRLS BASKETBALL CHAMPS
www.havredailynews.com
Double Trouble
Brandy Lambourne and Peyton Filius, Havre's dynamic duo Daniel Horton
Havre Daily News sports writer gferguson@havredailynews.com As far as 1-2 punches go on the basketball court, Havre High’s Peyton Filius and Brandy Lambourne have become pretty good at playing together. No, after four high school basketball seasons together, they’ve become one of the best and most dangerous tandems in Class A. And it has been that way for the last six years, since the two began playing together in the seventh grade. Since that time at Havre Middle School, both Filius and Lambourne have come together as good friends and teammates on and off the court, especially the last four years for coach Dustin Kraske and the Havre High Blue Ponies. But if you ask the dynamic duo what they think of each other, it is almost like they are describing themselves as well. It’s second nature for the duo to give credit to each other, and it’s become second nature for them to play together and play well. “She is a really good basketball player,” Lambourne said when asked about her senior teammate. “A really great leader, and she can see the floor really well. She is just a good player all-around for sure, and she really gets on the team when we need it. She is a vocal leader, and I think I am a quiet leader, so I think we really just balance each other out.” “She is our point guard; she is a really good ball handler and a great leader,” Filius went on to say about Lambourne. “She is really fun to play with because she is such a smart player and a really good teammate.” Chemistry between players and teammates doesn’t happen overnight. In some cases, no matter how long two players compete together, the chemistry doesn’t always gel. But chemistry, and the ability to play well together has never been a problem for Lambourne and Filius, who will continue to be a dynamic duo together in college. Shortly after joining forces in seventh grade, after Lambourne moved to Havre from Arizona, the chemistry between these two friends propelled them into two separate and conjoined careers at the prep level. Nearing the end of their senior season, the two will lead the Ponies into their third state tournament.
Filius and Lambourne have been compared to one another often, both in their skills and playing styles. Both have been named First Team All-Conference players in the past, while Filius even garnered All-State honors last season as a junior. And while both are speedy guards, who stand at 5-5 and can score from all over the floor, this year, both guards are also scoring an equal 13 points per game. Filius shoots 41 percent from two-point range while Lambourne is shooting 51 percent. Lambourne is shooting 34 percent from 3-point range while Filius is right at 30 percent. Both are also leading the team with their free-throw percentage, steals and assists. But as much as they are compared on a game-to-game basis, and the two styles may be similar, their differences also compliment each other very well. “She (Filius) can penetrate and pull up for a mid-range jumper really, really well,” Lambourne said. “I don’t have that, I mean I try to, but I just don’t have that right now, I typically either get to the basket, get to the free-throw-line, or kick the ball to a shooter when I drive. But I always know where she is at or where she is going. I never have to worry where she is going to be.” Filius agreed they play similar, but different as well. “I think we can both handle the ball well in pressure situations,” Filius said. “But she is definitely more the point guard for our team and I am more of a shooting guard for our team. But I also think she did a better job of getting to the free-throwline this season. Our similar styles help us, and I think we can both see the floor really well. And we have been on tournament teams together since she moved here in the seventh grade, so we have pretty much spent all summer together and all basketball season together since we were 12.” And while the run of great games and performances started when they were just 12 years old, the run could continue over the next four or even five years right here in Havre. The two talented guards previously announced they would both play for the Montana State University-Northern Skylights and coach Chris Mouat after graduating HHS later this year. “Those two kids together are great,” Havre High head coach Kraske said. “They are great as individual players, they were so easy
Havre Daily News/Daniel Horton Havre High's Brandy Lambourne, left, and Peyton Filius have been a Blue Pony tandem for the last four years, but they've been playing together and have been friends even longer. Though today marks the start of their last weekend of high school basketball together, they will go on to college as a tandem as well, as both are headed to play for the MSU-Northern Skylights. to coach and they do their best every time they play. They work hard every day, and it has just been four years of that for me. Yeah, we have had our rough days over the four years, but as far as kids that want to be good players and want to be coached, I couldn’t ask for any more out of them. It is going to be sad for me when this weekend is over and I am done coaching them, but exciting because we get to watch them play beyond this year. Coach Mouat has a great program going, and he couldn’t get two better kids to add to what he is doing in my opinion.” There was never a set plan in motion to continue their careers together, but some things just seem to work out, and as future Skylights, Lambourne and Filius will be right at home with each other. Almost every Frontier Conference school came knocking at both Filius and Lambourne’s door, but the best fit seemed to be right here with the Skylights. Lambourne said she always knew it was a slim possibility, but had hoped they would end up
together in the college ranks. Filius also thought about it, but thought it was a slim chance with Lambourne being from Arizona. When Lambourne signed first, it opened the door wide open for the two to reunite next year on the hardwood. But as friendly as the two standouts are on and off the court, they are both extremely competitive. They both go head to head in drills during practice, and if a game of H.O.R.S.E. breaks out, watch out, because it is anybody’s game. “It is probably 50/50,” Filius said. “It depends on the day I think. We always do long and short competitive drills in practice and we partner up every time, and those can go either way, too. “But she can shoot from half court like no other,” Filius added with a laugh. “So she does have that trick shot if she needs it.” And from the sounds of it, Lambourne isn’t afraid to break that shot out every now and then. “I really think it would depend
on the day or maybe the ranges that we are shooting from,” Lambourne said. “I would totally get her on a half court shot though. It’s not anything I really practice, I just throw up a couple after practice sometimes. Over the summer, after open gym, I hit like 10, so I know I could get her with that if I needed to.” But as fun as the friendly competition is between Peyton and Brandy, the duo has been anything but fun for Class A defenses over the last four years. There isn’t another guard combo in the state like Filius and Lambourne, and the rest of the Class A field will find that out this weekend in Great Falls. Though their Blue Pony careers will come to an end at some point this weekend at the Four Seasons Arena, hopefully with a coveted state championship, fate and friendship will give Havre the chance to keep watching the duo for years to come.