The 2024 H.I.T concluding on Saturday with the final round-robin play followed by the consolation and championship games.
The last double-header featured Class ‘B’ and Class ‘AA’. For the girls’, Class ‘B’ got the win, (95-86). Chinook’s Hallie Neibauer recorded six points in the contest, but it was her teammates Madison O’Connor (Baker) and Paige Lofing (Huntley Project) who balled out, combining for 60 points in the victory. O’Connor also grabbed 10 rebounds to make it a double-double. Billings Skyview’s Breanna Williams and Billings West’s Kourtney Grossman tried to match the effort with a total stat line of 55 points and 24 boards, but no one else on the team had more than seven points in the game.
In the boys’ matchup, Class ‘AA’ beat Class ‘B’ by the final score of (100-74). ‘AA’ got four double-digit scorers, led by the 19 points for Bozeman High standout Kellen Harrison. Helena High’s Jaxan Lieberg was just behind him with 18 points. Rey Johnston of Missoula Loyola led the way in a losing effort with 23 points. His high school teammate, Ethan Stack, also had a double-figures output of 16 points to go along with seven rebounds.
The girls’ consolation game went down to the wire with Class ‘C’ and Class ‘B’ with Class ‘B’ taking it, (81-78) as Roy-Winifred’s Isabelle Heggem’s last second heave came up short despite finishing with a team-high 18 points coupled with 13 rebounds. No team had a lead larger than eight points, while there were 11 ties and nine lead changes. Lofing put up a game-high 30 points. Neibauer finished her career representing Chinook by scoring 13 points, while O’Connor again stuffed the stat sheet with 11 points.
The boys’ consolation game was less competitive between Class ‘B’ and Class ‘C’ as ‘B’ took it, (108-93). A new leading scorer emerged for the consolation champs in Columbus big man Hayden Steffenson, who finished his tournament campaign with a 30-piece. Stack was again relevant with a double-double of 10 points and 10 rebounds and Johnston joined him with 10 points as well. Class ‘C’ was led by the scoring output of Manhattan Christian’s Mason Venema, who scored a team-high 23 points.
In the girls’ championship game of the H.I.T., Class ‘AA’ dominated Class ‘A’, putting up a (98-76) win to claim the title. Six of the eight participants for ‘AA’ scored in double figures, led by Williams’ 21 points. She ended up sharing tournament MVP honors with Grossman, who had 12 points in the championship game. Havre’s Ariana Gary finished her tournament strong, scoring 21 points in the final and was also named to the All-Star team. Blue Pony Amaya Jarvis also earned an All-Star nod, scoring eight points and grabbing six rebounds in the final game.
The boys’ championship game featured an explosion from Class ‘A’, but then the comeback began with ‘AA’. The game was contested for a majority of the second half until ‘A’ went on a run late in the fourth quarter to take the cake, (97-89). Beaverhead County’s Carter Curnow was the leading bucket getter for the champs with 19, but it his high school teammate Kyler Engellant who took home the ultimate prize of tournament MVP after scoring 14 points. Tre Gary and Matt Huse from Havre High combined for eight points and seven rebounds. Kellen Harrison closed his tournament performance with a game-high 22 points.
Award Winners:
Girls Awards:
3-Point Champion-Kameryn Ketcham-Sweet Grass County (2nd straight H.I.T. 3PT Championship)
Assist Leader-Paige Lofing-Huntley Project
Scoring Leader-Paige Lofing-Huntley Project
Rebound Leader-Breanna Williams-Billings Skyview
Miss Hustle-Paeton Gunlock-Big Fork
Miss Defense-Hallie Neibauer-Chinook
All-Star Team:
Breanna Williams-Billings Skyview (Co-MVP)
Kourtney Grossman-Billings West (Co-MVP)
Paige Lofing-Huntley Project
Madison O’Connor-Baker
Isabelle Heggem-Roy-Winifred
Braeden Gunlock-Big Fork
Ariana Gary-Havre
Sannah Windy Boy-Huntley Project
Jada Davis-Gallatin
Kadynce Couture-Missoula Big Sky
Amaya Jarvis-Havre
Boys All-Star Team
Kyler Engellant (MVP) – Beaverhead County
Kellen Harrison-Bozeman
Zad Rodarte-Gallatin
Jaxen Lieberg-Helena High
Carter Curnow-Beaverhead County
Darcy Merchant-Billings Central
Eli Quinn-Frenchtown
Rey Johnston-Missoula Loyola
Hayden Steffenson-Columbus
Ethan Stack-Missoula Loyola
Johnslee Pierre-Lustre Christian
Christian Triemstra-Manhattan Christian
Mason Venema-Manhattan Christian
Boys Awards:
3-Point Champion-Zad Rodarte-Gallatin
Assist Leader-Reynolds Johnston-Missoula Loyola
Rebound Leader-Kyler Engellant-Beaverhead County
Scoring Leader-Hayden Steffenson-Columbus
Mr. Hustle-Kash Embry-Bozeman
Slam Dunk Champion-Johnslee Pierre-Lustre Christian
Mr. Defense-Carter Curnow-Beaverhead County
CONSOLATION SCORES:
Class C Girls 78
Class B Girls 81
Class C Boys 93
Class B Boys 108
CHAMPIONSHIP GAME SCORES:
Class AA Girls 98
Class A Girls 76
Class A Boys 97
Class AA Boys 89
