Valkyries' ride ends with loss to Havre
Mar. 16—BILLINGS — The rematch with Havre didn't go any better, but the Bigfork Valkyries still had quite a ride.
Getting 13 points from Ariana Gary, the Havre Blue Ponies beat Bigfork 48-31 for the third-place trophy at the State A girls basketball tournament at First Interstate Arena Saturday.
Bigfork, which ended up 21-5, fell behind 15-4 early and trailed 21-8 at halftime. After subduing Lockwood 55-52 in a morning loser-out game, there didn't seem to be much gas left in the tank.
Senior Braeden Gunlock had 11 points and nine rebounds in her final high school game before she plays at BYU, but the Vals went over 11 minutes without scoring in the first half shot just 19 percent (8 of 42) from the floor.
Still, the Vals proved they belonged in Class A: After placing third in Class B in 2022, they were unbeaten B champs in 2023 and then last season lost narrowly to Billings Central in the State A championship.
They made it to Saturday night at State again in 2025. Havre, which beat Bigfork 49-37 in the first round on Thursday, also finished 21-5.
"Proud and sad at the same time," an emotional Bigfork coach Courtnee Gunlock said. "It's been a good ride. Three special seniors that are leaving, and they really changed Bigfork girls basketball when they came in as freshmen, you know?"
Braeden Gunlock, Ava Davey — Davey hit the game-winning shot against Miles City in last year's State A semifinals — and Keni Wade leave the program better than they found it.
Junior Paeten Gunlock, who went over 1,000 career points on Friday, will lead a pretty inexperienced cast next season.
"My other daughter's coming back but we need to get some other players to step up and produce," Courtnee Gunlock said.
Braeden Gunlock had a personal 8-0 run to bring Bigfork to 30-21 going into the final period, but once there the Vals again struggled. They didn't score again until Paeten Gunlock's three at the 2:53 mark. Havre still led 41-24.
Paeten Gunlock scored 13 points. Davey, coming back from offseason knee surgery, logged 18 minutes and missed both her shots. Three more reserves combined for 16 minutes.
"I would say our starting five played more than most of the fives out here," Courtnee Gunlock said. "I would say they're putting in a lot more miles, because they don't sub out."
Bigfork 5 3 13 10 — 31
Havre 15 6 9 18 — 48
BIGFORK — Braeden Gunlock 4-10 1-2 11, Paeten Gunlock 3-19 5-6 13, Somer Campos 0-1 2-2 2, Chloe Norred 0-0 0-0 0, Keni Wade 1-8 3-4 5, Ava Davey 0-2 0-0 0, Keegan Campbell 0-0 0-0 0, Leah Gibb 0-0 0-0 0, Payton DeSpain 0-0 0-0 0.
HAVRE — Ariana Gary 5-8 1-2 13, Ela Harber 1-6 3-4 5, Tierra Parker 4-4 1-1 9, Amaya Jarvis 5-15 1-1 12, Bree Hansen 1-2 0-0 2, Tahlyn Olson 2-6 1-2 5, Olivia Keller 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 18-42 7-11 48.
3-point goals — Bigfork 4-21 (B. Gunlock 2-5, P. Gunlock 2-9, Davey 0-1, Campbell 0-2, Wade 0-4), Havre 5-12 (Gary 2-3, Olson 1-2, Parker 1-1, Jarvis 1-6). Rebounds — Bigfork 28 (B. Gunlock 9), Havre 31 (Parker 5, Harber 5). Fouls — Bigfork 12, Havre 15. Fouled out — P. Gunlock, Harber. Turnovers — Bigfork 12, Havre 10.
Bigfork 55, Lockwood 52
Keni Wade's 3-pointer with 1:23 left in the game put Lockwood in a 52-44 hole, and seemed to seal the deal for Bigfork.
Then the Valkyries missed five out of six free throws and the Lions kept scoring. With 16 seconds left Lockwood's Tailey Harris was fouled on a 3-point attempt and the score 53-50.
Given a chance to tie it up, Harris hit the first two free throws but missed the third — and the rebound was out of bounds to Bigfork.
Braeden Gunlock hit two free throws to make it 55-52 with 13 seconds left, and Lockwood (21-4) didn't get a clear shot at the end.
Paeten Gunlock had 22 points to lead the Vals and Braeden had 20.
Harris hit four 3-pointers — three in the fourth quarter — and finished with 20 as well.
Bigfork 18 14 13 10 — 55
Lockwood 16 6 9 21 — 52
BIGFORK — Braeden Gunlock 6-13 8-13 20, Paeten Gunlock 8-16 5-8 22, Somer Campos 0-2 2-2 2, Chloe Norred 1-3 0-2 2, Keni Wade 2-11 0-0 6, Ava Davey 1-7 0-0 3, Payton DeSpain 0-0 0-2 0. Totals 18-52 15-25 52.
LOCKWOOD — Dani Jordan 4-15 2-2 12, Taysha Little Light 2-5 2-2 6, Dakota Takes Enemy 2-6 1-2 5, Tailey Harris 5-8 6-7 20, Kylie Edwards 2-4 2-3 6, Dagny Olson 0-0 0-0 0, Kannah Franco 0-1 0-0 0, Lanee Casterline 0-1 0-0 0, Lahna Good Luck 1-6 0-0 3. Totals 16-46 13-16 52.
3-point goals — 4-20 (Wade 2-7, P. Gunlock 1-4, Davey 1-5, B. Gunlock 0-2, Norred 0-2), Lockwood 7-16 (Harris 4-6, Jordan 2-3, Good Luck 1-4, Little Light 0-1, Takes Enemy 0-1, Franco 0-1). Rebounds — Bigfork 33 (B. Gunlock 17), Lockwood 35 (Jordan 7). Fouls — Bigfork 16, Lockwood 22. Turnovers — Bigfork 7, Lockwood 18.
Havre 51, Frenchtown 39
At Lockwood, Amaya Jarvis hit four 3-pointers and scored 22 points to lead the Blue Ponies.
Jarvis had 16 of Havre's 21 points in the first half; in the second half Ela Harber (seven points), Teirra Parker (two 3-pointers) and Kate Tilleman (five points) helped the Ponies pull away.
Mason Quinn had 17 points and Heather Haskins 10 for Frenchtown, which ended up 18-6.
Bigfork's Paeten Gunlock (23) shoots in the second quarter against Havre in the consolation game 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
Bigfork's Braeden Gunlock (21) drives into the lane guarded by Havre's Ariana Gary (11) in the third quarter of the consolation game 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
Bigfork's Paeten Gunlock (23) drives to the basket in the first quarter against Havre in the consolation game 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
Bigfork's Keni Wade (12) shoots in the first quarter against Havre in the consolation game 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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