Dogs miss chance to clinch playoff berth
Whitefish’s boys basketball team will miss out on the state playoffs for the fifth consecutive season after getting scorched by a hot-shooting Polson team in the Northwest A challenge game.
The No. 4 seed Pirates hit eight 3-pointers in the second half of Monday’s game at Glacier High School as they punched their ticket to state with a 59-47 win over Whitefish.
No. 3 seed Whitefish kept it close through 3 1/2 quarters. Keaton Nicholson opened the fourth with eight points, including two treys from the corner, to make it a two-point game before the Pirates pulled away for good.
Garrett Anderson dominated the paint for the Bulldogs with 20 points and six rebounds. Nicholson finished with 15 points.
The Bulldogs were in good position to make the state tournament after opening divisionals with a 56-51 upset over No. 2 Frenchtown on Saturday.
Whitefish trailed the Broncs by a point at half time, but opened the third quarter with a flurry of buckets.
Alex Wilson picked off a pass and scored a fast break layup to give Whitefish a 35-33 lead. EJ Havens followed with a deep trey and Anderson scored in the post as the Dogs extended the lead to seven.
Frenchtown would battle back in the fourth. Standout John Chapman sank a 3-pointer to narrow the Dogs’ lead to 53-50 with a minute remaining.
Whitefish was able to close out the game with key rebounds and a pair of free throws from Wilson in the final seconds.
The win put Whitefish in the championship with top-ranked Columbia Falls on Sunday night in front of a packed house at Glacier High. A solid fourth-quarter rally led by a barrage of scoring from Havens came up just short. The Wildcats grabbed their sixth consecutive conference title with a 51-37 win.
Whitefish finished the season 11-10 overall and 5-3 in the conference.
Polson 13 10 17 19 — 59
Whitefish 13 10 12 12 — 47
POLSON — Cedrick Smith 3 5-8 14, Chris McDonald 3 3-5 11, Andrew Weltz 5 4-8 16, Tanner Wilson 3 0-0 9, Andrew Curley 2 0-0 6, Matthew Renxvold 0 3-4 3. Totals: 16 15-27 59.
WHITEFISH — Keaton Nicholson 5 2-2 15, EJ Havens 2 0-0 6, Art Doorn 1 0-0 2, Garrett Anderson 7 6-7 20, Cody Wilson 1 0-0 2, Hugh Ramlow 0 2-2 2. Totals: 16 10-11 47.
3-point goals - Polson 12-20 (C. Smith, Wilson 3), Whitefish 5-21 (Nicholson 3). Total fouls - Polson 13, Whitefish 19. Fouled out - Polson, T. Wilson. Whitefish, Alex Wilson.
Columbia Falls 15 12 10 14 — 51
Whitefish 7 6 11 13 — 37
COLUMBIA FALLS — Alex Presnell 4 0-2 11, Nakia Alexander 3 2-2 9, Ty Morgan 1 4-7 6, Jared Trinastich 5 4-5 14, Trevor Houston 1 1-1 3, Jayce Fagerland 1 1-3 4, Grant Wallace 1 2-2 4. Totals 16 14-23 51.
WHITEFISH — Keaton Nicholson 0 2-4 2, EJ Havens 4 4-5 13, Arthur Doorn 5 1-2 13, Garrett Anderson 1 0-1 2, AJ Wetsch 3 0-1 7. Totals 13 7-13 37.
3-point goals - Columbia Falls 5 (Presnell 3, Alexander, Fagerland), Whitefish 4 (Doorn 2, Wetsch, Havens); Team fouls - Columbia Falls 15, Whitefish 21. Fouled out - None.
Frenchtown 8 19 11 13 — 51
Whitefish 11 15 17 13 — 56
FRENCHTOWN - John Chapman 5 7-10 21, Quintin Mazzola 1 0-0 2, Chris Delaney 2 2-4 6, Andrew Honken 2 0-0 4, Bridger Truett 5 0-2 12, Jordan Moe 3 0-0 6. Totals 18 9-16 51.
WHITEFISH - Keaton Nicholson 4 2-3 12, AJ Wetsch 2 1-2 6, Cody Olson 0 2-2 2, Alex Wilson 2 3-4 7, EJ Havens 3 0-0 8, Arthur Doorn 2 1-1 5, Garrett Anderson 7 2-4 16. Totals 20 11-16 56.
3-pointers - Frenchtown 6 (Chapman 4, Truett 2); Whitefish 5 (Nicholson 2, Havens 2, Wetsch); Team fouls - Frenchtown 15, Whitefish 15.