Butte Central’s Class A State champion boys’ basketball team received a hero’s welcome Monday evening as they rode around Uptown Butte in the traditional champion’s firetruck parade.
Hundreds of Maroons fans followed or cheered the champions as they rode atop Ladder 1 of the Butte-Silver Bow Fire Department.
The Maroons, of course, captured the team’s seventh state title Saturday in Missoula. Junior Dougie Peoples sank a buzzer-beating 3-pointer from 27 feet out as the Maroons downed Lewistown in a 61-58 thriller at Dahlberg Arena.
The title was BC’s second in three years. The Maroons shared the 2020 title with Hardin because the COVID-19 pandemic hit the state the night before the championship game. Monday’s parade came two years to the night that the Maroons would have played the Bulldogs in the title tilt at the Billings Metra.
Most of the 2020 team was in Missoula to cheer on the current Maroons. A handful was on hand for Monday’s parade.
The 2022 Maroons are made up of Peoples, Bryson Sestrich, Jack Keeley, Drew Badovinac, Joseph Sehulster, Kyle Holter, Eric Loos, George Riojas, Riley Gelling, Gage Guldseth and Zane Moodry. Garret Button, Nick Lester and Owen McPartland were alternates at the State tournament.
The Maroons have been coached by Brodie Kelly since the 2004-05 season. His brother Renzy has been an assistant since Day 1. Former Maroons Colin Hollow and Alex Murphy also assisted the State champions.
Brodie Kelly and the rest of the Maroons will be guests on KBOW Overtime Wednesday night.
