The Glacier and Flathead basketball teams are squaring off yet again, except this time it’s in the Class AA playoffs.
The regular-season standings have solidified, setting up the playoff matchups that determine which teams qualify for the state tournaments in Billings.
As fate would have it, the third-place Glacier girls (14-6 overall, 8-4 in Western AA) host sixth-place Flathead (5-15, 2-10) at 6 p.m., Friday.
The fourth-place Glacier boys (10-10, 6-6) play fifth-place Flathead (8-12, 4-8) at 7:30 p.m. at Glacier High School.
The Glacier teams swept their crosstown rivals this season. The boys defeated Flathead 62-47 on Feb. 28 and 64-44 on Jan. 30. The Wolfpack girls beat the Bravettes 60-52 last week and 66-42 in January.
The boys and girls Class AA state tournaments are in Billings, March 13-15. Click the boys bracket. Click here to view the girls bracket.
On the boys side, the Western AA winner, Helena Capital (18-1, 11-0), earns an automatic bid to state. Second-place Missoula Hellgate (16-4, 10-2) hosts seventh-place Missoula Big Sky (5-14, 1-10) in a playoff game this week. Third-place Missoula Sentinel (11-8, 6-5) hosts sixth-place Helena (6-13, 2-9).
Billings West (16-4, 9-3) won the Eastern AA and earns an automatic bid. Second-place Great Falls C.M. Russell (10-10, 7-5) hosts seventh-place Butte (3-17, 1-11). Third-place Billings Skyview (12-8, 7-5) hosts sixth-place Billings Senior (10-10, 5-7). Fourth-place Bozeman (14-6, 7-5) hosts fifth-place Great Falls (11-9, 6-6).
On the girls side, Helena Capital (18-1, 11-0) won the Western AA. Missoula Sentinel (18-1, 10-1) hosts Missoula Hellgate (5-15, 1-11). Missoula Big Sky (9-10, 5-6) hosts Helena (8-11, 3-8).
Billings West (17-3, 10-2) won the Eastern AA title. Great Falls (17-3, 10-2) hosts Great Falls C.M. Russell (4-16, 3-9). Billings Senior (15-5, 9-3) hosts Billings Skyview (5-15, 3-9). Bozeman (9-11, 4-8) hosts Butte (8-12, 3-9).
Click here to visit an extensive website compiled with AA information by Lowell Peterson.
Class B
Make it 23-0. The Bigfork Vikings steamrolled Florence to win the Western B divisional championship last Friday. Jon Landon scored 18 points, Christian Evans added 16 and the Vikings rolled to a 53-32 win. Bigfork plays at noon on Thursday, March 13, in the opening round of the Class B state tournament.
Eureka defeated Missoula Loyola in the consolation game, 62-52. Chase Bohne scored 17 points and Trey Bohne scored 16 for the third-place Lions.
The Bigfork girls placed third.