Poplar Girls Take Third At District

Poplar’s girls’ basketball squad put together a strong second half and defeated Harlem, 60-57, in the thirdplace game of the District 2B tournament in Glasgow on Saturday.

The Indians trailed by a 27-20 half-time score and by a 33-24 margin midway into the third quarter.

Using full-court defensive pressure, the Indians struck for the final 10 points of the period. After a drive for a basket by Journey Gourneau, Mattie Ayers tallied the next eight points on a three-pointer, a drive, a free throw and a coast-to-coast drive.

Three more points by Ayers put the Indians up 38-33 to open the fourth period.

Two minutes later, Braelyn Nordwick fired in a three-pointer and a layup by Ayers off a steal by Cammie Martell put the margin at 4334.

Three-point shots by Martell and Saydee Archambeault increased Poplar’s lead to 5542 with under three minutes to play.

After another basket by Archambeault, Harlem fought back to four points. Nordwick hit a free throw for a 6055 lead with 14 seconds left. Harlem pulled as close as 60-57 on a pair of free throws with eight seconds left but couldn’t come any closer.

The Indians trailed 13-12 at the end of the first quarter. Three-pointers by Ayers and Archambeault put Poplar ahead 20-19, but the Wildcats scored the last eight points of the half.

The Indians will face Fairfield at 8 p.m. on Thursday at the divisional tournament in Malta.

Other first-round games will include Chinook facing Harlem, Shelby taking on Fairview and Malta meeting Choteau.