Red Hawks Drop First-Round Game

The Froid/Lake Red Hawks had challenges shooting the ball as they lost to Fort Benton, 46-39, in the first round of the Class C state boys’ basketball tournament in Billings on Thursday, March 11.

Froid/Lake entered the fourth quarter with a 30-25 lead, but Fort Benton scored the first three points of the fourth period.

After Brett Stentoft hit a three-pointer for the Red Hawks, drives by Fort Benton’s William Ullery and Nick Marias produced a 33-33 deadlock.

Two free throws by Colt Miller put Froid/Lake back up 35-33, but the Longhorns tallied the next four points. A pair of free throws by Stentoft tied the game, 37-37, with 44 seconds left.

The Longhorns then held the ball for a final shot but were unable to score.

Two free throws by Javonne Nesbit got Froid/Lake off to a good start in overtime, but Fort Benton accounted for the contest’s final nine points.

Top scorers for the Red Hawks were C. Miller with 14 and Stentoft with eight. Also scoring were Nesbit with seven, Tyler Wivholm with four, Mason Dethman with three and Bode Miller with three.

Leaders in rebounds were C. Miller with eight and Nesbit with seven.

The Red Hawks shot only 29 percent from two-point range and 26 percent from three-point range in the contest.

Leading Fort Benton were Hayden Diekhans with 14 and Jace Thompson with nine points.

The Red Hawks, on the scoring of Nesbit and C. Miller, jumped out to a 9-0 advantage, but Fort Benton closed the gap to 9-8 at the end of the opening quarter.

Froid/Lake held a 16-10 halftime advantage. After Fort Benton gained a 20-18 lead, Froid/Lake fought back on an inside hoop by Wivholm and a three-pointer by Dethman.

The third quarter’s scoring ended with a three-pointer by Stentoft for a 30-25 lead.