Butte Central dominated on the boards and Kenzie McQueary scored 11 points as the Maroons beat Stevensville 51-20 Thursday night to stay in contention for a spot in the Western A Divisional high school girls’ basketball tournament.
Thursday night’s game at the Maroon Activities Center was an elimination game that ended the Yellowjackets’ season with a 1-18 record. The Maroons went to 7-12 and advance to a divisional play-in game Saturday in Hamilton versus the Broncs. Saturday’s winner will be the No. 4 seed from Southwestern A into the Western A Divisional next weekend in Hamilton.
The BC girls grabbed the lead from the get-go as they jumped out to a 15-6 advantage by the end of the first quarter. The second was similar, Butte Central holding a 27-111 command at halftime.
The third frame was even more dominant for the Maroons as they stretched their margin to 41-14 and they maintained the spread consistently the rest of the way.
McQueary was a perfect 8-for-8 from the free throw line and also tossed in of five 3-point baskets the BC girls sank. Luci Fantini, Braelynn Schelin, Jordyn Samson and Mila Carriger also scored from 3-point range. Fantini, Samson and Carriger are all eighth-graders.
McQueary is a 5-foot-7 sophomore.
Sophomore Zayonna Otherbull scored eight points to back McQueary in the Butte Central production totals. Fantini and Samson notched seven points each, Carriger had six, Rylee Forbes and Schelin each had five, and Evyn Smith, Caden Tippett, Marly Mansanti and Blake Smith also contributed to the win.
Addi Drye of Stevensville led all scorers with 14 of her team’s 20 points.
The contest on the boards saw Butte Central pull down 35 rebounds as Forbes snared eight and Fantini took down seven.
The following boxscore is courtesy of Bill Foley of the butte cast podcast.
STEVENSVILLE (1-18) — Addi Drye 6-14 1-2 14, Emma Tann 1-3 0-0 2, Amy Donaldson 1-6 0-0 2, Harley Gilleard 1-4 0-0 2, Kayden Tolley 0-0 0-0 0, Hadlie Leonard 0-2 0-0 0, Kenzi Jackson 0-1 0-0 0, Scarlet Lattin 0-0 0-0 0, Nevaeh Meeder 0-2 0-0 0. Totals 9-31 1-2 20.
BUTTE CENTRAL (7-12) —Kenzie McQueary 1-6 8-8 11, Zayonna Otherbull 3-12 2-4 8, Rylee Forbes 2-4 1-2 5, Braelyn Schelin 1-4 2-2 5, Arika Stajcar 0-4 2-2 2, Luci Fantini 4-7 0-0 7, Jordyn Samson 2-6 2-3 7, Evyn Smith 0-1 0-0 0, Caden Tippett 0-0 0-0 0, Marly Mansanti 0-0 0-0 0, Mila Carriger 2-2 1-1 6, Blake Smith 0-1 0-0 0. Totals 14-47 18-22 51.
Stevensville 6 5 3 6 — 20
Central 15 12 14 10 — 51
3-point goals — Stevi 1-4 (Drye 1-4, Donaldson 0-4, Tan 0-2, Gilleard 0-2, Leonard 0-1, Meeder 0-1), BC 5-15 (Fantini 1-3, McQueary 1-3, Schelin 1-3, Samson 1-2, Carriger 1-1). Rebounds — Stevi 20 (Donaldson 5, Leonard 5), BC 35 (Forbes 8, Fantini 7). Assists — Stevi 1, BC 11 (Fantini 3, McQueary 2, Forbes 2). Blocks — Stevi 0, BC 1 (Carriger). Turnovers — Stevi 24, BC 19. Fouls — Stevi 23, BC 13. Fouled out —Tolley, Tan, Gilleard. Technicals — none.
