Bigfork boys, girls roll into divisional play
The Bigfork boys and girls basketball squads hope to avoid the challenge game scenario this year as the Western B divisional tournament opens today at the Ronan Event Center.
Both teams were denied a state trip a year ago because of Monday challenge games, two days after the regular divisional ended.
Loyola defeated Bigfork 62-55 while Florence tripped Bigfork 65-59 to earn both schools the No. 2 seed from the Western divisional at the state tournament.
Challenge games are necessary if the two teams did not play each other during the tournament. Divisional winners and runners-up advance to state.
The Bigfork boys are riding high this season, sporting an 18-0 record while the Bigfork girls are soaring as well at 17-1. Both teams are first seeds from District 7B for the divisional.
The Bigfork boys kick things off at 8 a.m. versus Deer Lodge, the fourth seed from 6B.
The Bigfork girls place Anaconda, the fourth seed from 6B, at 7:20 p.m.
Anaconda slipped by Loyola in the boys title game in 2017, 61-60, while Ronan topped Florence 64-55.
Ronan has moved up to Class A.
Western B divisional tournament
Thursday-Saturday At Ronan Event Center
First Round
Thursday
Boys
8 a.m. — Bigfork vs. Deer Lodge
9:40 a.m. — Eureka vs. Anaconda
4 p.m. — Missoula Loyola vs. Troy
5:40 p.m. — Florence vs. Thompson Falls
Girls
11:20 a.m. — Florence vs. Thompson Falls
1 p.m. — Deer Lodge vs. Eureka
7:20 p.m. — Bigfork vs. Anaconda
9 p.m. — Troy vs. Missoula Loyola