Trojans defeat rivals, headed to Divisional Tournament

The Whitehall High School boys basketball team won two games Saturday to finish third at the 5B District Tournament in Belgrade. The Trojans defeated Townsend 53-49 early Saturday morning and rival Jefferson 54-46 Saturday afternoon and will advance to a play in game March 4 at the Southern B Divisional Tournament in Billings against the third seed from the 4B District in a game scheduled for 6 p.m.

Following the game, Head Coach Zach McLean praised his team for winning three games in three days to advance to Billings.

"I'm so proud of these guys. They played hard. They fought hard and it is kudos to them. They never gave up on me, and I never gave up on them. There is a lot of love in that locker room and that is special to see," he said. "To win three games all season and then to win three out of four here says a lot about them. They bought into everything me and Coach Larsen (Braden) told them."

It was a strong first quarter for Whitehall who built as big as a 14-4 lead on a Hayden Hoagland three. An Avery Stiles three would cut the lead to 14-7 before Brendan Wagner knocked down two-free throws with four seconds remaining in the quarter to up the lead to 16-7.

The Trojans were equally impressive in the second scoring the first eight, five from Kenzie Hugulet as well as another three from Wagner. Whitehall would push the lead to 30-16 after threes from Dylan Smith and Hugulet.

The Trojans would take a 31-19 lead into the half with Wagner, Hugulet, and Hoagland each scoring eight points, and Smith adding seven.

Whitehall would stretch the lead to as big as 15 before the Panthers clawed back in the third and cut the deficit to 41-33 going into the fourth.

Jefferson stormed back in the fourth cutting the lead to 48-44 before a Dylan Smith follow up jam and a monster jam from Flint Smith put Whitehall up 52-44 with 1:20 left.

Wagner led the team with 16, Dylan Smith had 14, Hoagland finished with 12, Hugulet added eight and Flint Smith finished with four.