The Bobcat Nation

Anybody been watching tournaments? Watched Northeastern B divisional last night. Fairview 1st year back to class B managed to win the semifinal and plays Poplar tonight in Malta.
There is a little crossover in games to compare with Western in southwestern class B in Montana. Not sure who has the better league but I believe it might be the west of this year

Since I was a little kid I always looked forward to the Billings Gazette coverage of high school sports. Anymore they are awful. Maybe I’m getting to be a bit of a dinosaur but I sure miss how they used to do their sports page and cover all of the classes as well as Wyoming.
It was always fun to open up that page throughout tournaments and keep track of how everybody was doing

Got a good one so far in Billings for the boys Eastern A title between Billings Central and Fergus.

Fergus wins. Announcer said got several kids back from football injuries throughout season. Gelling at right time.
Class B, Loyola is prohibitive favorite, Glasgow and Columbus may have size to match them maybe not guard play. Malta losing huge upset. 4 starters back from 2nd place team.

tetoncat wrote: ↑

Sat Feb 24, 2024 7:57 pm

Fergus wins. Announcer said got several kids back from football injuries throughout season. Gelling at right time.
Class B, Loyola is prohibitive favorite, Glasgow and Columbus may have size to match them maybe not guard play. Malta losing huge upset. 4 starters back from 2nd place team.

Yeah Fergus looked really good for most the game. Kind of an odd game with the score.
Central is pretty good though. Kind of an off night so we'll see how they do at state.

CatBlitz wrote: ↑

Sat Feb 24, 2024 10:24 pm

tetoncat wrote: ↑

Sat Feb 24, 2024 7:57 pm

Fergus wins. Announcer said got several kids back from football injuries throughout season. Gelling at right time.
Class B, Loyola is prohibitive favorite, Glasgow and Columbus may have size to match them maybe not guard play. Malta losing huge upset. 4 starters back from 2nd place team.

Yeah Fergus looked really good for most the game. Kind of an odd game with the score.
Central is pretty good though. Kind of an off night so we'll see how they do at state.

Class A seems pretty wide open. I was at Western A and I really like BC and Hamilton. That was a great game and it seemed to me like if they played 10 times it might go 5-5. In the east, Fergus is healthy and Billings Central is always a problem. I still think they have to be the favorites, maybe with a little extra motivation after a loss.

Class B, I just can't see anybody beating Loyola, although it wouldn't hurt my feelings to see them get knocked off. But to win a divisional championship game 73-20 just doesn't happen often.

and who are the favorites for class C?
Manhattan Christian
Box Elder
Lustre Christian

I wouldn't rule out Scobey
Plentywood also has a shot.

I think it would be fun to have an all class tournament. Take to top 3 from each class and determine a true state champion.

kennethnoisewater wrote: ↑

Tue Feb 27, 2024 12:18 pm

CatBlitz wrote: ↑

Sat Feb 24, 2024 10:24 pm

tetoncat wrote: ↑

Sat Feb 24, 2024 7:57 pm

Fergus wins. Announcer said got several kids back from football injuries throughout season. Gelling at right time.
Class B, Loyola is prohibitive favorite, Glasgow and Columbus may have size to match them maybe not guard play. Malta losing huge upset. 4 starters back from 2nd place team.

Yeah Fergus looked really good for most the game. Kind of an odd game with the score.
Central is pretty good though. Kind of an off night so we'll see how they do at state.

Class A seems pretty wide open. I was at Western A and I really like BC and Hamilton. That was a great game and it seemed to me like if they played 10 times it might go 5-5. In the east, Fergus is healthy and Billings Central is always a problem. I still think they have to be the favorites, maybe with a little extra motivation after a loss.

Class B, I just can't see anybody beating Loyola, although it wouldn't hurt my feelings to see them get knocked off. But to win a divisional championship game 73-20 just doesn't happen often.

Class B Columbus has size but not sure they have guard play for Loyola. Same with Fairview. Manhattan is solid but only 1 big.
Class C Box Elder is good but young so MC experience may be a factor.
Class A I like Billings C but agree there are 3 or 4 that can win.

Southern B Divisionals start in the morning in Billings. Should be a fun one.

I just think it's really cool that Harrison made it to the State C tournament for the first time ever.
Hopefully they've got some Willow Creek kids too and go on a Blind Your Ponies run.

BelgradeBobcat wrote: ↑

Wed Feb 28, 2024 4:30 pm

I just think it's really cool that Harrison made it to the State C tournament for the first time ever.
Hopefully they've got some Willow Creek kids too and go on a Blind Your Ponies run.

This one of my wife’s favorite books!

GREAT Southern B final. Red Lodge over Lodge Grass by 1. Lodge Grass misses a last second shot.
Red Lodge missed a lot of free throws at the end which almost cost them but hats off to the Rams.

Headed to watch the class B at Metra Thursday. I’ve only watched Missoula Loyola and Fairview and Poplar play this year. Be interesting to see if Fairview has gotten better as the year is going on or if it’s just lower competition in the east. They lost to red Lodge and Columbus early in the season. As a lot of people believe here, I don’t know if anyone will be Missoula Loyola or not. But that is why they play the game. should be a fun tournament at Metra.

kwcat wrote: ↑

Tue Mar 05, 2024 10:24 am

Headed to watch the class B at Metra Thursday. I’ve only watched Missoula Loyola and Fairview and Poplar play this year. Be interesting to see if Fairview has gotten better as the year is going on or if it’s just lower competition in the east. They lost to red Lodge and Columbus early in the season. As a lot of people believe here, I don’t know if anyone will be Missoula Loyola or not. But that is why they play the game. should be a fun tournament at Metra.

Loyola is probably largest favorite coming into a State tourney in many years. Someone will need to hold them to upper 50 to low 60 score, not turn ball over and shoot lights out to beat them.
I see Fairview did play RL and Col and scores were respectable. Very low for RL and Fairview did that at Divisional as well. In every game if you play good D. They also split with Sidney and swept Baker. Avenged 3 l losses to Malta by beating at Div which was a huge wn.

kwcat wrote: ↑

Tue Mar 05, 2024 10:24 am

Headed to watch the class B at Metra Thursday. I’ve only watched Missoula Loyola and Fairview and Poplar play this year. Be interesting to see if Fairview has gotten better as the year is going on or if it’s just lower competition in the east. They lost to red Lodge and Columbus early in the season. As a lot of people believe here, I don’t know if anyone will be Missoula Loyola or not. But that is why they play the game. should be a fun tournament at Metra.

Make sure to leave your pocket knife at home. They are planning on having much more stringent security than normal for a high school tourney.

kwcat wrote: ↑

Tue Mar 05, 2024 10:24 am

Headed to watch the class B at Metra Thursday. I’ve only watched Missoula Loyola and Fairview and Poplar play this year. Be interesting to see if Fairview has gotten better as the year is going on or if it’s just lower competition in the east. They lost to red Lodge and Columbus early in the season. As a lot of people believe here, I don’t know if anyone will be Missoula Loyola or not. But that is why they play the game. should be a fun tournament at Metra.

They remind me of Shelby in 1995, just a clear cut favorite. Then they lost to Eureka Thursday night at Four Seasons and didn't even play Saturday night. Eureka was solid that year but not great by any means. Fairfield ended up beating Arlee to win their 4th title in 5 years even though they'd lost to Shelby 4 times that season, I'm pretty sure. You just never know. Fortunately for Loyola they play at 6:30 Thursday night. Those 9:30 Thursday morning games are the scary ones!

kennethnoisewater wrote: ↑

Tue Mar 05, 2024 4:07 pm

kwcat wrote: ↑

Tue Mar 05, 2024 10:24 am

Headed to watch the class B at Metra Thursday. I’ve only watched Missoula Loyola and Fairview and Poplar play this year. Be interesting to see if Fairview has gotten better as the year is going on or if it’s just lower competition in the east. They lost to red Lodge and Columbus early in the season. As a lot of people believe here, I don’t know if anyone will be Missoula Loyola or not. But that is why they play the game. should be a fun tournament at Metra.

They remind me of Shelby in 1995, just a clear cut favorite. Then they lost to Eureka Thursday night at Four Seasons and didn't even play Saturday night. Eureka was solid that year but not great by any means. Fairfield ended up beating Arlee to win their 4th title in 5 years even though they'd lost to Shelby 4 times that season, I'm pretty sure. You just never know. Fortunately for Loyola they play at 6:30 Thursday night. Those 9:30 Thursday morning games are the scary ones!

I was at that game and the Shelby folks were in a deep deep state of shock seeing their team get beat like that.

D-Wreck wrote: ↑

Tue Mar 05, 2024 2:04 pm

kwcat wrote: ↑

Tue Mar 05, 2024 10:24 am

Headed to watch the class B at Metra Thursday. I’ve only watched Missoula Loyola and Fairview and Poplar play this year. Be interesting to see if Fairview has gotten better as the year is going on or if it’s just lower competition in the east. They lost to red Lodge and Columbus early in the season. As a lot of people believe here, I don’t know if anyone will be Missoula Loyola or not. But that is why they play the game. should be a fun tournament at Metra.

Make sure to leave your pocket knife at home. They are planning on having much more stringent security than normal for a high school tourney.

That was the plan but the MHSA and county commissioners told the Metra 'no' to the mag detectors at the door.

But yes, always a good idea just to leave that ****** at home.

kennethnoisewater wrote: ↑

Tue Mar 05, 2024 4:07 pm

kwcat wrote: ↑

Tue Mar 05, 2024 10:24 am

Headed to watch the class B at Metra Thursday. I’ve only watched Missoula Loyola and Fairview and Poplar play this year. Be interesting to see if Fairview has gotten better as the year is going on or if it’s just lower competition in the east. They lost to red Lodge and Columbus early in the season. As a lot of people believe here, I don’t know if anyone will be Missoula Loyola or not. But that is why they play the game. should be a fun tournament at Metra.

They remind me of Shelby in 1995, just a clear cut favorite. Then they lost to Eureka Thursday night at Four Seasons and didn't even play Saturday night. Eureka was solid that year but not great by any means. Fairfield ended up beating Arlee to win their 4th title in 5 years even though they'd lost to Shelby 4 times that season, I'm pretty sure. You just never know. Fortunately for Loyola they play at 6:30 Thursday night. Those 9:30 Thursday morning games are the scary ones!

Well, I didn't look to see that the girls were playing the 9:00 game this morning in Class B. And on cue, #1 seed Huntley got upset by Loyola.

wapiti wrote: ↑

Tue Feb 27, 2024 3:36 pm

and who are the favorites for class C?
Manhattan Christian
Box Elder
Lustre Christian

I wouldn't rule out Scobey
Plentywood also has a shot.

You hit all the favorites I had picked for Class C.

And they all won opening rounds to get to semifinals
along with Harlowtown-Ryegate.

I was a bit surprised Winnett-Grass Range came within 3 of Manhatten Christian.

Box Elder is salty. And they only have one senior who doesn’t get many minutes. So watch for them to be back next year. Jilot kid for Box Elder is the real deal. Kid is smooth.

Manhatten Christian vs Lustre should be a great semifinal. Toss up in my mind.

Box Elder should take Harlowtown-Ryegate IMO but strange things happen in tourneys.