Survive and Advance: Trojans headed to semifinals

It wasn’t always pretty, but the Whitehall High School boys basketball took care of business with a strong defensive performance Thursday evening in the opening round of the 5B District Tournament at the Belgrade Events Center. The third-seeded Trojans upended sixth-seeded Manhattan 44-35 and advanced to Friday night’s semifinals and a matchup with two-seeded Three Forks. The Friday tipoff is set for 7:30 p.m.

Following the game, head coach Zach McLean said he told them team it’s all about surviving and advancing in the postseason.

“It’s doesn’t matter this time of year – you take any win you can get,” McLean said.

It was a defensive battle in the first quarter with the Trojans taking their first lead 5-3 on a deep three from senior Cade Briggs. After a Manhattan basket to tie the game, a Hayden Hoagland jumper was the final points of the quarter for either team and gave Whitehall a 7-5 lead.

Both teams would struggle to score in second quarter. After a Clay Wolfe basket and subsequent free throw early in the quarter to put the Trojans up 10-7, the Tigers would answer with six straights points to take a 13-10 lead. Whitehall had a chance to cut into the lead and missed four straight free throws before a Hoagland basket cut the lead to one. He would make one of two free throws on the next Whitehall possession to tie the game. Briggs would have a shot just before half to give the Trojans the lead, but it fell short sending the game to half tied at 13.

After falling behind 17-15 early in the third, Whitehall would go on their first major run of the game sparked by Hoagland who had seven point in the quarter and helped push the Trojans up 30-24 going into the fourth.

McLean said Hoagland played with confidence and that was really good to see.

“He stepped up and tried to make plays for us and that’s what we need from him,” McLean said.

Whitehall would go up by as many as seven before a Manhattan three cut the lead to four with three minutes to play. Sophomore Dylan Smith would step up with a huge put back off a missed shot to put the Trojans up six. He was fouled on the play and hit the free throw to up the lead to 38-31.

Briggs was key in the fourth from the free throw line and led the team in scoring with 18 points. Hoagland added 13, Wolfe had nine, Smith added three and Brendan Wagner added one point.

McLean was also pleased with his team’s performance on defense. He said they wrote on the board to take the three-pointer away from Manhattan and for the most part they did that.