Midland Roundtable Montana-Wyoming All-Star Basketball Series<\/a> to 16 games.<\/p>\nWyoming may have held a one-point lead at intermission, but a strong second half led to the Montana girls continuing their winning ways with a 91-80 victory.<\/p>\n
Montana was led in the scoring column by Miles City\u2019s Alli Glasscock with 23 points and 21 from Huntley Project\u2019s Paige Lofing.<\/p>\n
Montana coach Wes Keller, now in his 10th year in the position, said his team buckled down in the second half and took care of the ball better. He also said Montana played better team defense after leading 47-46 after the first 20 minutes of play. In the all-star series, quarters are 10 minutes.<\/p>\n
\u201cI thought Wyoming came out and really got after us and was really physical with us,\u201d Keller told The Billings Gazette and 406 MT Sports in a phone interview after the game. \u201cI think it took us about two quarters to kind of adjust to that. I don\u2019t know if we set a record for the Montana-Wyoming series with turnovers, but if we didn\u2019t we were dang close. I didn\u2019t see a total, but I bet you we had 20 in the first half.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWe challenged them at halftime a little bit to have some pride, step up and play some defense and we chart stops and there were two times in the second half that we got five stops in a row and obviously that helped increase our lead.\u201d<\/p>\n
Every Montana player scored. Kenleigh Graham of Dillon pumped in 12 points and Rae Smart of Billings Skyview added eight points. Dani Jordan of Lockwood and Braeden Gunlock of Bigfork each scored seven points.<\/p>\n
Lofing, the Montana Gatorade Player of the Year who will be playing basketball at Gonzaga, had three 3-pointers for Montana. With the win in the first game of the two-game set, Montana now leads the overall series 42-13.<\/p>\n
For Wyoming, all 10 of their players also scored. Jaden Meyer of Douglas led Wyoming with 18 points. Lauren Olsen of Douglas chipped in 17 points and Elyn Bowers, the Wyoming Gatorade Player of the Year from Pinedale, netted 15 points.<\/p>\n
The game was knotted at 24-24 after a quarter of play and Wyoming led by one at intermission, 47-46. However, Montana led 66-62 after three quarters and pulled away in the final stanza.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt was a good win for us,\u201d said Keller. \u201cThey have a couple of guards that are pretty explosive and quick. In the first half our transition D was not good, and we gave up a bunch of easy ones. We just didn\u2019t communicate. We talk a lot about in these all-star games everybody can score. But are you going to sit down in a stance and play good team defense and get stops? And I thought we did that in the second half.\u201d<\/p>\n
Keller said that his team will enjoy the win Friday, but quickly turn the page to focus on achieving the sweep on Saturday night.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat was great that we got the win tonight, but we\u2019ve got to be ready to go tomorrow and we\u2019ve got to come out with energy and enthusiasm and start right from the tip getting after it and taking care of the ball and defending it,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
Keller said each of the Montana players played a role in extending the winning streak over Wyoming to 16 games.<\/p>\n
\u201cI was proud that everybody that played contributed in a positive way,\u201d he said. \u201cEverybody that stepped on the court tonight did something good that helped us secure the win.\u201d<\/p>\n
Girls<\/p>\n
Montana 91, Wyoming 80<\/p>\n
Montana 24 22 20 25\u00a0\u2014 91<\/p>\n
Wyoming 24 23 15 18\u00a0\u2014 80<\/p>\n
Montana: Paige Lofing 21, Tailey Harris 2, Dani Jordan 7, Aubrey Winter 3, Rae Smart 8, Shelbi LaBrie 3, Braeden Gunlock 7, Kenleigh Graham 12, Alli Glasscock 23, Coral Old Bull 5.<\/p>\n
Wyoming: Kennedy Davila 3, Lauren Olsen 17, Jaden Meyer 18, Lauren Kuhbacher 3, Izzy Kelly 2, Elyn Bowers 15, Kaylie Neary 6, Karson Tempel 6, Emma Asay 2, Brynn Sybrant 8.<\/p>\n
NOTE: This story will be updated.<\/p>\n
Email Gazette Sports Editor John Letasky at john.letasky@406mtsports.com<\/a> or follow him on X\/Twitter at @GazSportsJohnL<\/p>\n Be the first to know<\/p>\n
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