Rams overtake Ronan for third

Mar. 16—BILLINGS — For two and a half quarters Ronan had the momentum Saturday night, in its rematch battle with Billings Central in the State A boys basketball consolation game.

Then it got away.

The Rams' man-to-man pressure began to take hold and Central pushed past the Chiefs for a 45-40 win at First Interstate Arena, claiming the third-place trophy.

Howie Martin led a balanced Central attack with 12 points, including a 3-pointer that gave his team the lead for good, 36-34, at 7:05 of the fourth quarter. The Rams also shot 55 percent (10 of 19) after halftime.

But it was the defense that was key — Ronan had 10 second-half turnovers, including a steal by Central's Darcy Merchant, Jr., as the Chiefs tried to set up a game-tying three in regulation.

Merchant sailed in to score the game's final points with five seconds left.

"They were man all night; they're man all season," second-year Ronan coach George Sherwood said. "But they just packed it in and dared us to hit threes. We hit some, but not enough down the stretch.

"Second half, we just didn't do as good as we did the first half in terms of taking care of the ball. It led to some easy buckets and those just kill you against quality competition."

Ronan looked good early, with Wade Qualtier scoring to give the Chiefs an 8-6 lead.

Soon the gap grew to 14-6 and then, when Laurance Lozeau's 3-pointer fell at 5:10 of the third quarter, 28-18.

From there the Rams (19-6) outscored the Chiefs 27-10.

Merchant had nine points, eight rebounds and two steals for Central, which beat Ronan 65-50 in Thursday's first round. Gunner Larsen added nine points.

Qualtier had a game-high 14, including a three-point play that had Ronan ahead 34-33 early in the fourth quarter. Martin answered with his three and then scored off a steal by Toby Stewart to put the Rams up 38-34.

Down 43-38, the Chiefs got a bucket from junior Kolby Finley, then forced a shot clock violation with 21 seconds left. Merchant's theft sealed it: Ronan, boasting eight seniors, took fourth at State for the second time in four seasons.

It was just their third trip to state since 2002.

"It's an accomplishment just making it here, but we're not content with just making it," Sherwood said. "We want to medal; we want to win the whole thing.

"Props to those seniors. Whatever role there was, we wouldn't be here without them. Kolby Finley is the real deal and we have some underclassmen who work their butts off. And I think we can come back, but it's a long road and a lot of work to do."

Finley had nine points and five rebounds for Ronan (18-8).

Ronan 14 6 11 9 — 40

BC Rams 6 9 18 12 — 45

RONAN — Tayen Edo 4-8 0-0 8, Kolby Finley 2-8 4-4 9, Chad Higgins 1-1 0-0 2, Wade Qualtier 5-10 3-6 14, Laurance Lozeau 2-6 0-0 6, Sean Small 0-0 0-0 0, Jhett McDonald 0-0 0-0 0, Hunter Qualtier 0-0 1-2 1. Totals 14-33 8-12 40.

BILLINGS CENTRAL — Howie Martin 4-6 1-2 12, Gunner Larsen 3-7 0-0 9, Sam Jogodzinski 0-3 0-0 0, Toby Stewart 1-9 0-0 2, Darcy Merchant Jr. 4-13 0-1 9, Tyton Larsen 1-1 0-0 3, William Snell 2-3 1-2 5, Ayden Salter 1-3 0-0 3, Cy Hansen 0-4 0-0 0. Totals 16-49 5-9 45.

3-point goals — Ronan 4-12 (Lozeau 2-5, Finley 1-2, Qualtier 1-2, Edmo 0-3), BC Rams 88-31 (Martin 3-3, Larsen 3-5, Salter 1-2, Merchant 1-9, Jagodzinski 0-2, Stewart 0-8). Rebounds — Ronan 23 (Finley 5), BC Rams 29 (Merchant 8). Fouls — Ronan 9, BC Rams 15. Turnovers — Ronan 16, BC Rams 12.

Ronan 76, Browning 63

Senior Tayen Edmo led five Chiefs in double figures with 19 points, and Ronan withstood every push by Browning in a full-court battle.

With Kolby Finley (15 points) hitting a 3-pointer, Ronan took an early 18-5 lead and pretty much kept that margin with two exceptions.

In the third quarter two Reis Reevis free throws brought Browning to within seven at 49-42; with 4:10 left in the game Noah Butterfly's steal and layup cut Ronan's lead to 69-63.

After Reevis' points Ronan tore off an 11-3 run — getting two threes and a put-back from senior Laurance Lozeau, who had 18 points — to take a 60-45 lead into the final period. The Chiefs answered Butterfly's bucket by scoring the last seven points of the game.

Wade Qualtier and fellow senior Chad Higgins had 10 points each for Ronan. Higgins had nine rebounds.

Royce Mad Plume knocked down a pair of 3-poiters and scored 15 points to lead Browning, which ended up 15-8. Jude Reevis had 13 points and five rebounds.

Ronan 23 15 22 16 — 76

Browning 12 13 20 18 — 63

RONAN — Tayen Edmo 7-8 3-5 19, Koby Finley 5-8 2-2 15, Connor Durglo 1-2 0-0 2, Laurance Lozeau 7-14 0-0 18, Wade Qualtier 4-13 2-2 10, Chad Higgins 4-7 2-4 10, Jhett McDonald 1-1 0-0 2, Sean Small 0-0 0-0 0, Teddy Spotted Eagle 0-0 0-0 0, Trey Samsel 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 29-53 9-13 76.

BROWNING — Jude Reevis 4-14 2-4 13, Joshua Skunk Cap 2-6 0-0 4, Tristan Crawford 5-11 1-2 11, Shayde St. Goddard 2- 0-0 4, Noah Butterfly 2-6 3-3 7, Royce Mad Plume 6-11 1-1 15 Roy mad Plum 0-1 0-0 0, Rodale Dog Takin Gun 0-0 0-0 0, Reis Reevis 3-7 2-3 9, Randy Running Rabbit 0-1 0-0 0, Jhett Cobell 0-0 0-0 0, Layton Wing 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 24-65 9-13 63.

3-point goals — Ronan 9-16 (Lozeau 410, Finley 3-3, Edmo 2-3), Browning 6-32 (J.Reevis 3-11, Royce Mad Plume 2-5, R. Reevis 1-5, Crawford 0-2, Roy Mad Plume 0-1, Cobell 0-2, Butterfly 0-3). Rebounds — Ronan 40 (Higgins 9), Browning 25 (J.Reevis 5, Butterfly 5). Fouls — Ronan 13, Browning 21. Fouled out — Butterfly, Skunk Cap. Technical foul — Skunk Cap. Turnovers — Ronan 13, Browning 13.

Billings Central 58, Glendive 51

Darcy Merchant, Jr., scored 17 points and Toby Stewart added 15 — 13 coming in the second half as Central brushed aside Glendive's 25-24 lead at intermission.

Glendive ended up 19-6.

Ronan's Kolby Finley (4) knocks down a three in the second quarter against Browning at the Class A State Basketball Tournament at the MetraPark First Interstate Arena in Billings on Saturday, March 15. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)

Casey Kreider

Ronan's Kolby Finley (4) celebrates after a made three in the first quarter against Browning at the Class A State Basketball Tournament at the MetraPark First Interstate Arena in Billings on Saturday, March 15. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)

Casey Kreider

Browning's Jude Reevis (2) drives to the basket in the first quarter against Ronan at the Class A State Basketball Tournament at the MetraPark First Interstate Arena in Billings on Saturday, March 15. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)

Casey Kreider

Ronan's Tayen Edmo (2) drives to the basket in the second quarter against Browning at the Class A State Basketball Tournament at the MetraPark First Interstate Arena in Billings on Saturday, March 15. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)

Casey Kreider

Ronan's Wade Qualtier (11) drives to the hoop in the third quarter against Browning at the Class A State Basketball Tournament at the MetraPark First Interstate Arena in Billings on Saturday, March 15. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)

Casey Kreider

Browning's Tristan Crawford (34) shoots in the first quarter against Ronan at the Class A State Basketball Tournament at the MetraPark First Interstate Arena in Billings on Saturday, March 15. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)

Casey Kreider

Browning's Jude Reevis (2) battles Ronan's Wade Qualtier (11) and Chad Higgins (20) for a rebound in the first quarter at the Class A State Basketball Tournament at the MetraPark First Interstate Arena in Billings on Saturday, March 15. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)

Casey Kreider

Ronan's Kolby Finley (4) drives to the hoop in the third quarter against Browning at the Class A State Basketball Tournament at the MetraPark First Interstate Arena in Billings on Saturday, March 15. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)

Casey Kreider

Browning's Shayde St. Goddard (30) blocks a shot by Ronan's Wade Qualtier (11) in the third quarter at the Class A State Basketball Tournament at the MetraPark First Interstate Arena in Billings on Saturday, March 15. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)'

Casey Kreider

Ronan's Laurance Lozeau (5) celebrates after a made three at the end of the third quarter against Browning at the Class A State Basketball Tournament at the MetraPark First Interstate Arena in Billings on Saturday, March 15. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)

Casey Kreider

Browning's Jude Reevis (2) shoots in the first quarter against Ronan at the Class A State Basketball Tournament at the MetraPark First Interstate Arena in Billings on Saturday, March 15. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)

Casey Kreider

Browning head coach DJ Fish talks to the Runnin' Indians in the first half against Ronan at the Class A State Basketball Tournament at the MetraPark First Interstate Arena in Billings on Saturday, March 15. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)

Casey Kreider

Ronan coach George Sherwood watches the Chiefs in the fourth quarter against Browning at the Class A State Basketball Tournament at the MetraPark First Interstate Arena in Billings on Saturday, March 15. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)

Casey Kreider

Browning's Jhett Cobell (10) shoots in the first quarter against Ronan at the Class A State Basketball Tournament at the MetraPark First Interstate Arena in Billings on Saturday, March 15. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)

Casey Kreider

Ronan's Connor Durglo (23) drives to the hoop in the second quarter against Browning at the Class A State Basketball Tournament at the MetraPark First Interstate Arena in Billings on Saturday, March 15. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)

Casey Kreider

Ronan's Laurance Lozeau (5) knocks down a three in the second quarter against Browning at the Class A State Basketball Tournament at the MetraPark First Interstate Arena in Billings on Saturday, March 15. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)

Casey Kreider

Ronan's Wade Qualtier (11) drives to the hoop in the second quarter against Browning at the Class A State Basketball Tournament at the MetraPark First Interstate Arena in Billings on Saturday, March 15. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)

Casey Kreider

Ronan's Wade Qualtier (11) drives to the basket guarded by Browning's Randy Running Rabbit (0) in the third quarter at the Class A State Basketball Tournament at the MetraPark First Interstate Arena in Billings on Saturday, March 15. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)

Casey Kreider

Ronan's Chad Higgins (20) goes to the hoop guarded by Browning's Jude Reevis (2) in the third quarter at the Class A State Basketball Tournament at the MetraPark First Interstate Arena in Billings on Saturday, March 15. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)

Casey Kreider

Ronan's Laurance Lozeau (5) knocks down a three in the third quarter against Browning at the Class A State Basketball Tournament at the MetraPark First Interstate Arena in Billings on Saturday, March 15. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)

Casey Kreider

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