Warriors finish second, tie for best state tournament finish in school history

BOZEMAN - Scobey/Opheim's defense proved to be the difference-maker as they came away with the 2011 Class C boys' state championship on Saturday night in Bozeman with a 55-47 victory over Arlee. It didn't come easy though as the Warriors gave them a run for their money.

The Warriors jumped out to a 16-0 lead with 1:45 to go in the first quarter and had the 19-2 lead going into the second. Senior Kasey Bridgewater scored ten of his 13 points in the first stanza, including two three-pointers.

In the second, Arlee had the 23-8 lead before Scobey went on a 16-4 run and only trailed the Warriors by three at halftime, 27-24, thanks to a shot at the buzzer. Senior Jesse Pfau scored six in the period for the Warriors and finished the game with 11.

Things got tough for Arlee in the third, as they were held to just four points. Scobey took it's first lead of the game with 5:39 to go in the period, 32-31 and then ran their lead to 40-31 headed into the fourth.

In the fourth, Arlee closed the gap to within three points with 2:07 to go, 47-44, but Scobey hit their free throws and the Warriors couldn't convert on the makeup buckets. After the first quarter, Scobey scored 53 points and Arlee scored 28.

Scobey turned up the defensive intensity in the second half and held Arlee to 20 second half points, after the Warriors had scored 19 in the first quarter. The Warriors never gave up though and it was a game right down to closing parts of the game.

By placing second, this year's Warriors' basketball team tied for the best finish in school. Arlee placed second in 1995 in Class B.

Arlee - 19 - 8 - 4 - 16 - 47
Scobey - 2 - 22 - 16 - 15 - 55

Warriors scoring - Casey Bridgewater 3, Jesse Pfau 11, Thomas McClure 7, Junior Sansavere 7, Trae Burland 4, Dakota Desjarlais 3, Eneas Inmee 2

Here are some photos from Saturday's game...