A look at the Polson-Ronan basketball games tonight...

Ronan versus Polson Deux - “Arrgh”onauts at “Flying R” Arena:
Reciprocating with a Rematch Round between a Rambunctious Roundball Rivalry

(Courtesy of John Heglie)

Friday night’s basketball doubleheader between Ronan and Polson carries some significance that merits a measure of commemoration. It will be the last regular season basketball encounter with conference standing implications between two Mission Valley rival teams, at least for the next few years until enrollment numbers at Ronan can return them to the fold of the Northwestern Class A ranks.


Emblazoned into the floor of both sidelines of the court and stenciled onto a banner suspended from a rail of the track that runs the circumference of the gym at the Ronan Event Center, it is difficult to overlook a greeting of alleged hospitality that conveys a certain double entendre: Welcome to “R” House. Before embarking upon a preview segment of the upcoming rivalry matchups, it was felt this greeting merited greater examination than it often tends to be given.

The preceeding portion of the greeting is straightforward enough. Welcome. We’re glad you’re here. Although such a welcome has to be tempered to some extent. There is no red carpet that is going to be rolled out to walk on like the feet of celebrities might be treated to when they attend an event like the Academy Awards. Local residents are not prone to wear visiting team colors in an effort to make the visitor feel more at home. In fact, when those from out of town take a moment to gaze upon those in attendance wearing a sea of orange & black attire coordinated to match the scheme of local school colors, it seems to convey a mixed message of sorts. Orange may convey warmth and therefore hospitality, but it is tempered with an equal amount of black, a color associated more often than not with the ominous and foreboding.

The subsequent portion of the greeting can easily conjure up feelings of home, hospitality and security. But a visitor shouldn’t get too comfortable without taking into account the qualifing term denoting who this house belongs to. It is “R” House. The lattitude a visiting team might be accorded on their home court doesn’t necessarily apply here. Visiting players are liable to encounter little relief like that advertised in a Rolaids antacid commercial when it comes to definining the “R” of this letter. The guidelines under which this house is governed are Ronan rules. The team defending its home court expects that it will be accorded a certain amount of respect. The Chiefs and Maidens are intent upon giving the visitor a game by which they will be remembered. They want you to recall your visit to “R” House.

When county rival Polson comes to town, their “Welcome to R House” often means their visitor would be advised to watch their step. It they should stumble, they are liable to fall. For encroaching swashbucklers, “R” House seems to take on some added dimensions. They will face numerous challenges when it comes to navigating under this roof of reckoning. When attempting to avenge an earlier loss, R House bears the reflection of a residence of reciprocity, an uncertain rendezvous that can carry repercussions. With regard to this particular rivalry game, the “R” of their greeting tends to reverberate with retribution, reprisal or revenge. “Welcome to R House.”

GIRLS - Ronan Maidens vs. Polson Lady Pirates - 6:00 p.m.

The last time these two teams faced one another at Polson earlier in the season, the Maidens scored in double figures every quarter and netted the most points they had scored as a team over the past two seasons. That performance was a testament to the capabilities resident among the team when they can put enough of the pieces together at the same time and hit their shots. Had Ronan been able to put that kind of point total on the scoreboard on a regular basis during the course of the season, they could have beaten four teams by a basket or better, and been within a basket of winning three others instead of having an unblemished record in reverse.

One of the strengths of the Maidens is their scrappy defense that wreaks havoc on opponent ball handling and creates turnovers that they can exploit. But one area where they would benefit themselves further would be by converting more of those opportunities into points.
The Maidens have four starters who have demonstrated the capability to score in double-figures during the course of the season thus far: sophomore guards Courtney Clairmont and Mariah Cheff along with senior forward/posts Alice van Gunten and Tailyr Irvine. Clairmont has crested that plateau twice and van Gunten thrice, the latter most recently in back-to-back games for career highs. But in only two of their games have the Maidens been able to get more than one of these players to score double figures at the same time, and when they did, their opponent unfortunately had gained too much separation for them to close the gap. If the Maidens can get enough of their players in synch at the same time, they will give their opponent a game to remember.

With 3 weeks remaining in the regular season, four of the Maiden starters are represented in multiple categories of the top ten statistics for the Northwestern A Conference. Pride of place goes to volleyball all-conference honorable-mention senior 5-9 guard/forward Tailyr Irvine, who is the most widely represented, her performance reflected among 6 of 9 basketball skill evaluation criteria (6th for steals, tied 6th for shots blocked, tied 8th for 2-point field goals, 9th for total points as well as rebounding, 10th in free-throw shooting percentage). Irvine came very close to posting a double-double in their game against the Bigfork Vals. Next is volleyball all-conference 2nd-team and basketball all-conference honorable-mention senior 5-10 forward/post Alice van Gunten, who is represented among 4 of the 9 categories (2nd in free-throw shooting percentage, 6th for 2-point field goals, 7th for combined field goal percentage, 8th for total points). Sophomore 5-3 guard Courtney Clairmont is ranked 4th for 3-point field goals and 9th for steals. Likewise rated in a pair of categories is junior 5-5 guard Ashley Grandchamp, being 7th for 3-point field goals and 10th for steals. Several other Maiden players have placed among the top ten stats of the NWA conference for several weeks running. Sophomore 5-5 guard Ashleigh Lynch had been represented much of the season for steals and sophomore 5-9 forward Justice Burland for rebounding over the course of several weeks. Sophomore 5-3 guard Mariah Cheff was an early season presence among the top ten for 3-point field goals and combined field-goal percentage.

On the Polson side of the upcoming encounter, the Lady Pirates have gone 8-2 after a rough 0-3 start and maintain a narrow lead at the top of the NWA conference. Among those wins are included a double- digit triumph at AA Kalispell Flathead and another road win over Southwestern A Stevensville, the latter currently ranked 5th in a recent Class A power poll. The Lady Pirates have had to work through a spat of injuries which have riddled their lineup. Shoulder issues occasionally plague one of their starters from time to time, but junior all-conference honorable-mention 5-5 guard Mariah Hamel has been able to return for duty after dislocating an elbow during the first week of practice. Unfortunately, senior 5-9 forward Marlee Berry has been lost for the remainder of the season when she reinjured her knee, joining fellow senior all-conference 1st-team guard Sierra “Speedy” Pete (fr-jr career - 293 points, 128 rebounds, 80 steals, 35 assists) to watch from the sidelines as a spectator instead of being able to participate their final year of prep basketball.

The Lady Pirates have five players who have scored in double-figures at one time or another during the course of this season.

All-conference 2nd-team junior 5-10 post Riley Kenney has dropped double numbers on nine opponents with a pair of double-doubles, her career high coming this year against AA Kalispell Flathead when she scored 30 points.

All-state, all-tournament honorable-mention, twice all-conference 1st-team and two-time PHS Offensive MVP senior 5-9 forward Breanne “Breezey” / “Killer” Kelley has scored double-digits on eight occasions this season with a career high of 32 coming against Ronan her sophomore year. In her last game she drained 21 points in the first half alone!

Polson’s other players who have had double-figure scoring outings include sophomore 5-5 guard “Bodacious” MacKenzie Banner (twice), senior 5-9 post Jonna Grant (once) and sophomore 5-8 forward/post Heidi “Rumblin” Rausch (once).

With 3 weeks remaining in the regular season, six Lady Pirates have placed among the top ten statistics for the Northwestern A Conference, three of them in multiple categories.
Senior forward Kelley is represented among all 9 categories and is currently ranked as the top thief of basketballs, a fitting achievement for any swashbuckler.

Junior forward/post Kenney is represented among 7 of 9 categories of the top ten statistics of the NWA conference (3rd for 2-point field goals, combined shooting percentage, total points, 4th for rebounding, 7th for steals, 9th for blocks) and is the top shooter in the conference for free-throws from the charity stripe. Sophomore guard Banner is represented among a third of the stat categories (6th from the charity stripe, tied 9th for treys, 10th for assists) and had been a presence for several weeks running for steals. Banner put on a stellar free-throw shooting clinic with Kenney at Kalispell, going 8-8 from the charity stripe!

Senior post Grant is currently tied 9th with Banner for 3-point field goal shooting, but for several weeks running had also been ranked among the top ten in four other categories: deuces, combined field-goal percentage, steals and assists.

Junior 5-6 guard Nina Orozco-Charlo is currently ranked 7th for assists among the top ten stats for the conference, but last season also placed for several weeks running among the conference best for shooting treys as well as deuces, combined field-goal percentage, charity stripe conversion percentage, total points scored and steals. Orozco-Charlo is currently in the process of honing a sweet double-clutch-pump shooting maneuver when she is around the basket in an effort to net her team more points, a skill especially useful when view of the basket is obstructed by opponents who are not vertically-challenged.

Freshman 5-7 forward Jessica Bagnell has been playing like a young lioness during the limited minutes she relieves more seasoned players and has maintained a consistent presence among the top ten all season long for blocked shots.

Sophomore forward/post Rausch had been represented among the top ten of the conference for free-throw shooting the first week of the season, but it is her defensive and offensive skills down in the paint that are proving to be one of her greatest assets for the team. Rausch recently buried her first five shots during the preceeding game to post her first double-digit outing of her varsity career.

Junior point-guard Hamel is knocking at the door of the top ten in a pair of categories after missing the first part of the season due to injury. She lurks just off the grid in converting treys and stealing basketballs, dual representation she should reclaim before the end of the regular season.

Junior 5-6 forward Jordan Quinn features a nice mid-range jumper among her shooting arsenal and is capable of dialing long distance from behind the arc.

Sophomore 5-5 guard Anna DiGiallonardo usually only sees court time in a limited substitutionary roll, but is a state-placing sprinter with enviable acceleration speed for intercepting basketballs or outracing defenders to the rim with absconded prize in hand. In a previous game DiGiallonardo took high junior varsity scoring honors with 23 points, 6 rebounds and 5 steals.

This portion of the rivalry game is anticipated to be a scrappy contest, as half of the representation among the top ten category for steals happens to be held by Maidens or Lady Pirates with over 300 basketballs pinched between them. If the Maidens continue to play solid defense and can put double-digit scoring on the scoreboard each quarter like they did in the last game they faced one another, they should be able to hang close with the Lady Pirates. If they can add further to that factor at least a pair of players reaching double-figures and their opponent experiences a scoring drought like they demonstrated against visiting Stevensville the previous week, the Maidens could position themselves for a savory upset. There is nothing like a long-standing rivalry game to provide additional incentive and further direct one’s focus to take care of business.

BOYS - Ronan Chiefs vs. Polson Pirates - 7:30 p.m.

The last time these teams faced off against one another, Polson had home-court advantage and triumphed over the Chiefs by a baker’s dozen. This time home-court advantage is reversed and the host team should be more familiar with their environment to make for a closer game. The Chiefs have accrued a 6-7record overall at this juncture of the season, but currently languish at the basement of the Northwestern A Conference (0-4). But their somewhat medioccre record needs qualifying, for two of their losses were by a sole basket to visiting Hamilton and on the road at Libby. The Chiefs also played AA Missoula Big Sky very close on the road, coming out on the short end by a mere 5 points. With a trio of the teams in their conference mentioned in the most recent BSP boys basketball power poll, the NWA Conference rates as one of the tougher conferences in the state. The Chiefs have played all of their conference games on the road thus far, and the pendulum now swings to their favor with a home stand that is likely to net them some wins before the end of the regular season. They will also have home court advantage during divisionals as the Ronan Event Center hosts the tournament.

The Chiefs are a senior-laden squad that boasts a starting lineup that have all scored double-figures in numerous games during the course of the season thus far. Each member of their starting rotation has multiple representation among the categories of the top ten conference statistics. For three weeks running, Ronan could boast the highest number of players leading the conference for individual scoring, having led represention in this category among the top ten with four players. Three of them are bonefide members of the century club in scoring and two others are knocking at the door of triple figures for the season.

Senior 6-2 forward Kevin Wroblewski has scored double figures in six games and is represented among half of the top ten stat categories for the NWA conference (1st in free throw shooting percentage, tied 4th for treys, 6th for total points scored, tied 10th for combined field goal percentage as well as blocking shots).

Senior 5-11 guard Jerod “J.J.” Tanner has likewise scored double-digits in a half dozen games and is represented among 4 of 10 categories of the top ten statistics (2nd for steals, tied 4th for treys, 8th for combined field goal percentage as well as individual total points).
Senior 5-11 guard Justin Dustybull is the third Chief to score double figures in half a dozen games and is the leading thief of stolen basketballs in the conference. He is also ranked 5th for converting deuces inside the arc as well as for combined field goal percentage. Dustybull is currently the 7th leading scorer for individual points in the conference.

Senior 5-9 guard Lucas Black has scored double-digits against opponents on four occasions and is rated among a trio of the top ten statistical categories (tied 5th for steals, 10th for deuces, tied 10th for blocks).

Junior 5-9 guard Marcus Hungerford has scored double figures in three games thus far. Hungerford is currently 5th for drawing charges and 8th for free throw shooting percentage. He led the conference last season for holding his defensive ground and drawing offensive charges from opponents crashing into him.

Junior 6-1 forward Brady Oakland is currently ranked 7th for drawing charges and was an early season presence for rebounding among the top ten of the conference.

The Chiefs have a fair amount of bench depth with seven players having scored over a dozen points thus far this season. They are seniors Gordon North Piegan III, R.J. Hesselgesser as well as Jackson Jore and juniors Robbie Gauthier, Brady Oakland, Chris Clary and Marley Tanner.

The Ronan squad continues to lead the conference in steals both individually and collectively as a team. Based on their per game averages, they can be anticipated to steal their 200th basketball for the season during the course of their rivalry game with Polson. Such a statistic is indicative of their overall team speed. What the Chiefs lack is a dominating presence in the post, which is reflected by the absence of any individual representation in the categories of rebounding or assists among the top ten. In order to compensate for this shortcoming, it is imperative that they maximize their strengths and play smart basketball. The better their shot selectivity, less rebounding becomes necessary because one puts points on the scoreboard. Drawing on observations of a couple of games, the Chiefs would be advised to put at least four players in double figures to keep the score close when they play their rival. For it seems that the losses they have sustained thus far took place when all of their leading scorers didn’t at least match their scoring averages. Should one scorer have an off night, either some of the others have to compensate by picking up the slack with above average scoring outings and/or the bench must contribute at a higher level of productivity to make up the difference. Given the height disadvantages the Chiefs are saddled with in a conference featuring at least one dominating post player per team, Ronan must outposition, outmaneuver and outhustle their opponent to increase their chances of notching a win. Making their shots is assumed to be part of that equation. Too many hiccups among these criteria runs the risk of the other team gaining separation in the scoring margin.

On the Polson side of the rivalry rematch, the visiting Pirates (9-4 overall, 3-1 conference) bring to town a team with its sights set not only on gearing up for their showdown with conference-leading and top-ranked Columbia Falls the following night, but also fine-tuning their game to maximize their chances of returning to the postseason stage. They will come prepared as they enter the hostile environs of their rival’s domain. The Pirates are fairly balanced as a team, being ranked 2nd or 3rd in a majority of the top ten team statistical categories. Where the Pirates excel is as the free-throw line and dialing long distance from behind the arc. These invading swashbucklers will bring some formidable weaponry with them.

State tournament MVP senior 6-3 guard/forward Louis Mohr is ranked among the upper eschalon of the NWA conference in 8 of 10 statistical categories of the top ten. Mohr currently leads the conference in three-point shooting, combined field-goal percentage, individual total points and rebounding. Among the other categories he is ranked 2nd for two-point field goals, 3rd for steals as well as assists and 4th for free-throw shooting percentage. He has scored in double figures in every game played this season and has turned in six double-double performances.
As if the performance of Mohr was not intimidating enough to contemplate, the Pirates also bring with them the leading scorer in the conference from last season in all-state, all-tournament honorable- mention, two-time all-conference (1st-team 09/10, 2nd-team 08/09) senior 6-3 guard/forward Kyle Bagnell. The only category in which he is not represented among the statistical designatons of the top ten in the NWA conference is for drawing offensive charges. The season totals for Bagnell have thus far placed him 3rd in shooting treys from behind the arc, free-throw shooting percentage as well as rebounding, 4th in combined field-goal shooting percentage as well as total points, 7th for converting deuces, tied 7th for steals, tied 8th for assists and 9th for blocking shots. Bagnell has scored double-digits against his opponents in every game this season except for the first one during the Tip-Off Tournament and has turned in a pair of double-double performances.

All-conference 1st-team junior 6-6 post Tyler Krell currently leads the conference in drawing offensive charges because he doesn’t flinch when other players try to run through him in an effort to back him off from guarding the paint. Krell also is ranked 2nd in the conference for blocking shots. He has been ranked among the top ten for rebounding most of the season and currently lurks just off the grid in this category and quite possibly others. Krell has turned in a trio of double-digit scoring performances where he flirted with posting double-doubles and should crest the century mark for scoring during the rivalry game with Ronan.

Senior 5-8 guard Sheldon Fisher is a scrappy defender and savvy ball handler who is ranked 8th among the top ten for 3-point field goal shooting. Fisher has turned in a trio of double figure scoring outings and should join the century club for total points scored this weekend.

All-conference 2nd-team junior 6-0 guard Vince DiGiallonardo is represented among a trio of the top ten statistical categories (4th for steals, 5th for free-throw shooting percentage and tied 8th for assists) and has turned in a single double-digit scoring outing, although he has flirted with cresting that plateau on several other occasions.

Junior 6-4 forward/post Cody Fischer has been a statistical presence among the top ten for
blocking shots all season long and turned in his first varsity double figure scoring performance in the preceeding game. A proficient golfer during the Fall, Fischer has developed the kind of fine-motor coordination and soft stroke that mark him as a scoring threat both inside and beyond the arc.

Sophomore 5-11 guard Zach Camel has been honing his jumping techniques to improve elevation and subsequently better looks for his shooting capabilities. Camel was an early season statistical presence for shooting treys and is one of the weapons the Pirates employ when they dial the operator long distance from behind the arc.

Junior 6-2 forward Ian Laimbeer, sophomore 5-10 guard Will Davey and sophomore 6-1 post Riley Sampson play more subsidiary rolls for the Pirate roster, but all three are capable of filling in at a moments notice, having each scored in double figures in the recent competitive junior varsity prelude preceeding Friday’s marquee varsity matchup. Laimbeer posted a double-double in that encounter and flirted with a triple-double given his large number of steals.

Three of the four losses Polson has sustained this season have been by less than 5 points. In each of those cases the difference between winning and losing boiled down to taking care of little things.

With the regular season winding down and seeding for the divisional tournament at stake, the Pirates have been working out the kinks and ironing out the wrinkles of their game in an effort to ward off the unsavory flavor of defeat that they have found to be quite distasteful to their palates. One can expect they will offer no quarter to their rival hosts, the Ronan Chiefs, as they engage in Friday night’s roundball skirmish at the Ronan Event Center. One anticipates a closer game than the last encounter given the home court advantage of the Chiefs this time around. Perhaps enough heat can be generated on the court between these two rival teams to thaw some of the frigid temperatures that have blanketed the area.

ADVICE TO NWA CONFERENCE TEAMS & FANS:
The Ronan Event Center will be hosting the Class A Northwestern Conference Divisional Tournament at the end of the month. No matter where in the standings either Ronan team may eventually find themselves in the stratification at the end of the regular season, conference opponents would be advised to tread carefully on this court. The local teams would like nothing more than to punctuate their season with some upsets to help their challengers remember them before they bid farewell to the Class A ranks for a season.

NOTE TO READERS:
A few comments regarding some curiosities about the title. The mascots typically affiliated with Ronan are the Chiefs and Maidens. Those typically affiliated with Polson are the Pirates and Lady Pirates. The reference to the “Flying R” embodies imagery that conveys that both teams which hail from Ronan are taking flight and perpetually on the move. The term “Arrgh”onauts has been coined as an alternative reference to both Polson teams in an attempt to match motifs of sailing with flying, a play off the title of the Hellenistic Greek classic entitled Jason and the Argonauts, which referred to Jason and his association with the sailors of the Argo, the latter being the name of their ship. The second term “nauts” of the compound phrase derives from the Greek nautes, which means sailors. The phonetic similarity between that classic title and stereotypical Pirate speak was too hard to ignore, sailors who stereotypically say “arrgh” a lot, hence “Arrgh”onauts, otherwise called Pirates. Obviously the rhythmic phonetics with the eighteenth letter of the alphabet were appealing as well.

statistical information supplied courtesy of Terry Werner