Ronan shoots down Big Sky

The Ronan Chiefs fed off practice with offensive sets during a 72-33 win over Mission to prepare for Class -AA Missoula Big Sky and pull out a last minute 47-44 win.

After keeping the game tied at a low 21 points per squad at halftime, the Chiefs kept Big Sky within their sights until the time was right to strike.

Down six against Big Sky with a minute and a half to go, the Chiefs looked to senior Mike Fisher first. Back-to-back screen plays gave Fisher the open looks he needed to finish and bring the Chiefs within two.

Then in the closing seconds, it was senior Nolan Harris who broke out the big gun. A long ball from downtown found the twine and remarkably, the Chiefs were up one.

The Eagles had one more chance but Ronan junior Jay Sorrell took it away.

When the Eagles came running, Sorrell stood his ground, took the hit, drew the charge, and put the ball back in the Chiefs’ hands.

Fisher was fouled, made both of his shots, and that’s how it all ended folks, 47-44. Class-A Ronan Chiefs marched into Missoula and stole one to remember.

“The biggest thing was we held our composure down the stretch,” Ronan head coach Steve Woll said. “We didn’t force anything and took what they gave us and made big shots.”

Woll had known Big Sky would be prepared for the Chiefs team before that weekend, so he threw in some new offensive sets. Fortunately his team had the opportunity to sharpen its new tools in the game against Mission.

“We knew that they’d deny hard and be physical with us,” Woll said. “They scouted us pretty good and I thought that element of surprise helped us out a little bit.”

Fisher and Harris led the team in points as well as the comeback. Fisher harvested 13 while Nolan netted nine.

Sorrell, Ronan’s defensive difference-maker led with seven rebounds and senior Dallas Cordier led with five assists. 

Hosting Mission, a game that might have been overlooked, was taken as serious as any by Woll and his Chiefs.

Searching for new ways to score, the Chiefs put up consistent numbers under the new offensive sets. And everything played out just fine.

“I think it helped us a lot the next night,” Woll said of the experimentation.

Woll also used the opportunity to work on the depth of his roster, playing fourteen players and seeing 12 of them come away with points.

He was impressed with the efforts of freshman Marley Tanner, who finished with six points against Big Sky, sophomore Justin Dustybull, who got three each night, sophomore Lucas Black, who scored five against Mission, and sophomore Jackson Jore, who made three assists versus Mission, all had a strong weekend.

The Chiefs host Valley Christian at 7:30 p.m. tonight and host Whitefish at 6 p.m. on Friday.