Scottie Girls Statebound

For the first time in 24 years, the Scotties girls basketball team is headed to the State tournament. The last Glasgow's girls team to make the final cut was in 1997.

Glasgow took the long route to make the state tournament, avenging a loss along the way. The Scotties dropped their Divisional opener against the Cut Bank Wolves 49-45 on Thursday. In their first loser-out game they rolled over the Shelby Coyotes 56-24 on Friday.

They then faced the Wolf Point Wolves on Saturday, who had knocked the Scotties out of the championship side of the bracket in the District 2B Tournament. Glasgow took a dramatic 57-52 win off the Wolves to advance to the Consolation game Saturday night against the Fairfield Eagles. The Scotties and the Eagles went the distance but when the buzzer sounded Glasgow was on the right side of a 48-38 score.

Glasgow faced the Cut Bank Wolves in round one of the Northern B Divisional. The tight game saw the lead change hands 15 times but at the end of 32 minutes Cut Bank was ahead by 4 points.

Glasgow led 9-7 after one but found the score tied at 23 entering halftime. The Scotties led by one after three quarters, 33-23, however found themselves outscored 17-12 in the final eight minutes.

Sabrina Harsh led Glasgow from off the bench in scoring, putting up 13 points while going 5-for-9 on free throws. Daley Aune shot 50 percent from the field and added 10 points for the Scotties. Carly Nelson went 4-for-9 from the field for 8 points.

Blaire Westby chose her shots well, going 3-for-4 on field goals and adding 6 points to Glasgow's side of the scoreboard. Tyann Graham also scored 6 points and Abrianna Nielsen added a bucket for the Scotties.

Nelson led all players in rebounds, snagging five at each end of the court for 10 total. Harsh snagged six, Aune four, and Westby and Graham two each.

Graham led Glasgow in assists with six followed by Aune with three and Westby with two. Nielsen, Nelson and Harsh had one each. Aune had three steals and Westby two. Harsh had two blocks.

Glasgow held their fouls to 11 in the game while Cut Bank was called for 13.

Harsh was called for three. Nielsen, Aune and Nelson each drew two while Westby and Graham had one foul a piece.

The loss sent the Scotties to loser-out action on Friday where they faced the Shelby Coyotes. With their season on the line, Glasgow came out firing.

The Scotties wasted no time in lighting up the scoreboard, scoring the first bucket, then the second, as they established a lead they never let go of. Glasgow led 15-6 after one and 34-16 at the half.

They carried a 48-21 lead into the final quarter and they outscored the Coyotes 8-3 in those final eight minutes.

Nielsen led all scorers with 17 points, shooting 53.3 percent from the field. Aune added 13 points with a 50 percent shot percentage. Nelson hit an impressive 71.4 percent from the floor and added 10 points for the Scotties. As a team, the Scotties shot 55.1 percent from the field.

Harsh scored 6 points. Graham and Tatum Nyquist added 4 each and Brielle Partridge added a bucket.

Nielsen and Aune led the Scotties in assists, dishing the ball successfully four times each in the game. Harsh had three assists while Graham and Aspen Stulc had two a piece.

Nielsen had five takeaways to lead Glasgow in steals. Graham stole the ball three times and Westby twice. Aune, Nelson and Harsh each had a steal as well.

Glasgow outperformed Shelby under the net as well, pulling down 29 rebounds while allowing the Coyotes 21.

Nelson grabbed three offensive and two defensive boards for Glasgow. Nielsen and Aune had four rebounds each followed by Westby with three. Harsh and Nyquist grabbed two each while Graham, Partridge and Stulc pulled down one a piece.

The Scotties were called for 14 fouls, while the Coyotes had 12 infractions.

Harsh drew four whistles while Westby and Graham had three fouls each. Nelson was called for two and Nielsen and Nyquist had one each.

The win set Glasgow up for a chance to avenge their District tournament loss to the Wolf Point Wolves. The Scotties saw their first game of the District 2B tournament slip away 50-45 in the last several moments of play.

Their Divisional game against the Wolves went differently. Wolf Point managed to tie the game twice, but never took the lead from the Scotties.

Glasgow led by 3 points after one, 15-12, and powered themselves to a 33-20 lead at the half after pouring in 18 points in the second quarter.

Wolf Point surged again in the second half, much like the District tournament, but Glasgow handled business in Cut Bank. The Scotties were outscored 11-8 in the third and 21-16 in the fourth, but the Wolves were unable to overcome Glasgow's lead before time ran out.

Aune powered the Scotties offensively with 23 points. She hit a three and went 6-for-8 at the free throw line. She also led in rebounds, pulling down eight, and had a steal in the win.

Harsh added 16 points, draining 6-of-6 bonus shots. Harsh also had five rebounds, three blocks and a steal for Glasgow.

Graham scored 10 points and led the team in assists with four and in steals with five. She pulled down seven rebounds as well. Nelson added 4 points, three rebounds and an assist. Nielsen had 2 points, two rebounds, three assists and two steals. Westby scored two points, grabbed four rebounds, had two assists and a steal.

Wolf Point was called for 21 infractions while Glasgow was called for 16 fouls.

Harsh fouled out of the game. Westby and Nelson had three each. Nielsen and Aune drew two and Graham was called for one foul.

Having avenged their loss to the Wolves, the Scotties advanced to the Consolation game Saturday evening where they faced the Fairfield Eagles.

The Eagles led 7-6 after eight minutes but the Scotties outscored them 11-6 in the second to carry a 17-13 lead into the second half.

Glasgow needed every one of those 4 points in the second half to fend off Fairfield. The Scotties saw their lead cut to 3 at the end of the third, 33-30. Glasgow led by 6 midway through the final quarter but Fairfield would not go quietly.

The Eagles clawed their way back in to the game and with less than 30 seconds left the game stood tied. With the seconds ticking away Harsh hit a bucket to send the Scotties ahead – and to the State tournament.

Aune hit for 12 points to lead all scorers. Harsh was right behind her with 11 points. Nielsen hit two from downtown and added 8 points to Glasgow's side of the scoreboard. Westby hit two from the floor for 4 and Graham drained three free throws. Nelson added a basket for the Scotties.

Aune also led in assists with five followed by Westby with three. Graham and Nelson had one each. Harsh led in steals with four while Nielsen and Aune had one each.

Harsh also had two blocks and led in rebounds with 10. Aune had eight boards and Nielsen six. Nelson grabbed three while Westby and Graham each had two rebounds.

Glasgow was called for 13 fouls in the game while Fairfield had 15.

Graham was called for four and Aune one. Nielsen (with one technical foul), Westby, Nelson and Harsh each drew a whistle twice.

Malta defeated Harlem 53-40 in the title game.

Glasgow's first match-up at the State Tournament in Bozeman will be against the Colstrip Colts, the title holder out of the Southern B. Tip-off is scheduled for 3:30 p.m on Thursday, March 10. All games will be available on KLTZ radio and the NFHS network.