Poplar Girls Earn Second Place At District 2B Tourney

Poplar’s girls’ basketball team lost a heartbreaker in the District 2B title game against Malta, but the Indians gained a good deal of experience for them to use for the rest of this post-season.

Malta came from behind to edge the Indians by a 50-47 final at the tournament held in Wolf Point. The divisional tournament begins Feb. 29 in Conrad.

The Indians held a 21-20 half-time advantage and opened the third quarter with a basket by Cammie Martell and free throws by Braelyn Nordwick.

After Malta ran off seven straight points to grab a 27-25 lead, C. Martell connected on consecutive three-pointers. A basket off a rebound by Bailey Dupree put the Indians up 33-27 with 2:37 remaining in the third quarter.

The M-ettes responded with a three-pointer by Emree Stuart and a hoop by Kelbie Nelson, but a free toss by Sadee Archambeault and a three-pointer by Dupree provided the Indians with a 37-32 lead at the end of the period.

The fourth quarter started well for the Indians on a three-pointer by Mattie Falls Down. A 12-footer by Rikki Belton put the margin at 4232 After Malta struck for four points, Belton fired in a three-pointer to put Poplar ahead 45-36. C. Martell made a nice drive for a basket to put the Indians ahead 47-37 with 5:14 remaining.

The M-ettes, however, accounted for the game’s final 13 points including two three-pointers by Neva Jacobson.

Malta went ahead when Jacobson hit a shot with 44 seconds remaining.

After the Indians missed a shot, Jacobson made two free throws for a 50-47 margin with 22 seconds remaining. Poplar was unable to score in the final seconds.

C. Martell led the Indians with 19 points.

Also scoring for Poplar were Belton with eight, Dupree with eight, Nordwick with seven, Kessie Erickson with four, Falls Down with three and Archambeault with one.

Leading Malta were Jacobson with 27, Elly Anderson with eight and Denvyr Tuss with seven points.