Porcupines Up

The Porcupines were down early in the third quarter to the top-seed Scobey Spartans when Nashua’s Sean Bengochea went down with an ankle injury. The Porcupine faithful fell silent, helplessly gazing as perhaps their best player was helped off the floor during the biggest game of the season.

It may have been exactly what the team needed, though.

“All of a sudden, a light went on that ‘hey, we’re all going to have to step up here,’” said Head Coach Greg Fromdahl. “They just went nuts.”

The Porcupines came roaring back, outscoring the Spartans 19-7 in the third quarter, after only scoring 15 in the first half, and taking the 34-29 lead heading into the final eight minutes.

Bengochea’s ankle was taped up and he was able to make it back on the floor in the final quarter to help the Porcupines hold on to the 49-45 win and the District 3C Championship, but not before pestering those taping his ankle in the locker room to give him updates on the score.

The district championship was the first for the Porcupines since 2008.

Bengochea tied with two others for a game-high 12 points with teammate Marc Milliat and Scobey’s Ethan Aldrich. Nashua’s Skylar Fisher reeled in 10 points for the Porcupines, as well.

Nashua was a well-balanced scoring machine throughout the tournament. They had at least three different players in double digits in each game as they beat Saco/Whitewater 67-23, Hinsdale, 59-50, and finally Scobey, and had as many as nine players score in a single game.

“We played the best ball that we played all year. We hit our stride going into the tournament,” said Fromdahl.

The Porcupines will ride that momentum into the Eastern C Divisional Tournament in Wolf Point starting on Thursday. Their first game will be against the fourth seed out of District 2C Culbertson Cowboys.

Culbertson went 11-4 during the regular season and lost to Nashua, 56-38, on Dec. 8, their second contest of the season.

The Lady Porcupines had a good showing of their own in Malta. The girls came in as the third seed in the district and finished in third with two wins and a loss. Nashua started off in cruise control with a 64-35 win over Dodson. Madison Sibley dropped 24 points in the victory and MaKenzie Clampitt chipped in 15 for the Lady Porcupines. They next had to meet the second-seeded Hinsdale Lady Raiders, though. Hinsdale showed that they truly are one of the best teams in all of Class C and sent the Lady Porcupines to a loser-out game with a 37-21 win.

The Lady Porcupines responded with another resounding win, beating Lustre 52-23 to cement their place at divisionals. Sibley again led the way with 21 points while Hannah McMurry added 11.

The Lady Porcupines have a very quick turnaround as they play Fairview out of District 2C on Wednesday.