State berth slips away from boys

Timely three-pointers and crafty post play had Whitefish in the mix for a trip to the state tournament.

Trailing 30-29 against Hamilton on Saturday morning in the Western A consolation loser-out game in Butte, Whitefish needed just two more quarters of solid play to punch their ticket.

But consistency has been the Dogs’ undoing all season — stellar one quarter, flat the next.

The No. 2 seed Bulldogs went frigid in the second half against Hamilton, outscored 31-14 in the final two frames. The Broncs rolled to the 61-43 win and into the consolation finals, while Whitefish was left wondering what went wrong, out of the state tournament for the seventh consecutive season.

Derek Kastella led all scorers with 21 points against Hamilton, Jacob Henry added 13 for the Bulldogs.

Whitefish’s came into Saturday’s game with a jolt of momentum after completing a rare season sweep of rival Columbia Falls, ousting the Wildcats in loser-out action.

The Bulldogs controlled the game from the tip and took a 20-point lead into halftime. Whitefish shot better than 50 percent from the field and nearly that well from deep.

The Dogs showed flashes of brilliance in the game — in one sequence Luke May scored in transition, then on the next play assisted Sawyer Silliker with a football-like full court pass.

Henry was hot from beyond the arc and finished with 18 points to lead the Dogs. Silliker had 17 points, Kastella scored 10 points and May had nine points and a game-high eight rebounds.

The Dogs opened the tourney with a tough 71-40 loss to Butte Central. After a close first quarter, the Maroons pulled away. Butte held Whitefish to five points in the third frame and cruised to the finish.

Henry put in 17 points and Kastella chipped in with 13 points.

Whitefish finishes the season 7-14 overall and 3-3 in the conference.

Western A basketball

Butte Civic Center

Whitefish 11 12 5 12 — 40

B. Central 13 23 18 17 — 71

Whitefish – Jansen Anderson 3, Derek Kastella 13, Jacob Henry 17, Matt Brewer 7.

Butte Central – Sam Johnston 10, Nate McGree 15, Brian McGeehan 3, Cole Harper 13, Tyler Kump 2, Tanner Kump 17, Dan McCloskey 8, Archie Petritz 3.

Whitefish 22 9 22 19 — 72

C. Falls 7 4 20 21 — 52

WHITEFISH — Derek Kastella 10, Jacob Henry 18, Matt Brewer 7, Luke May 9, Sawyer Siliker 17, Cole Ashby 1, Jansen anderson 2, James Sampson 1, Murphy Wick 1, Zander Wold 2, Max Smyley 4.

COLUMBIA FALLS — Nathan Riley 20, Austin Green 5, Tyler Murphy 10, Matthew Morrison 6, Kyler Burns 2, Steven DeCamp 5, Mason Tucker 4.

Whitefish 10 19 7 7 — 43

Hamilton 17 13 16 15 — 61

Whitefish — Derek Kastella 21, Jacob Henry 13, Luke May 6, Jansen Anderson 3.

Hamilton — Josh Heath 5, Bret Huxtable 4, Ky Burch 15, Hunter Omlid 17, Carter Kearns 15, Tyler Chouinard 2, Jaylen Taggart, 3.