Bulldogs win one at districts

LIBBY — Mission boys’ basketball head coach Lloyd Phillips put a score of 48-32 on the board before the Bulldogs first district game.

He was close.

In their first win in a district tournament in five years, the Bulldogs beat Eureka 47-36.

Two weeks ago, Eureka beat the Bulldogs by 11 points in Mission.

“This was a huge win for our program,” head coach Lloyd Phillips said. “We spent all week preparing for this game only.”

Mission went 5-for-10 from the floor in the second quarter for a 10-point lead at the half.

Mission added to its lead in the third and was up by 16 in the fourth before Eureka closed within nine with a little over three minutes left.

Seniors Jorren Gies and Jake Durglo both earned double-doubles. Gies had 19 points and 10 rebounds while Durglo notched 18 points and 15 rebounds.

Phillips said his team was a force at the offensive end.

“It was by far their best effort and game of the year,” he said.

Mission put eight players on the floor during the game and “every one of them contributed to the win,” Phillips said.

Mission faced an uphill battle against Bigfork the next day, who had gone undefeated in the district.

Phillips’ pre-game pep talk included three things the Bulldogs had to do for a chance to win: Shoot lay-ups, shoot free throws and compete hard at the boards on both ends were his keys.

The pep talks worked as Mission was down by two at the half before taking a two-point lead in the third after weathering two six-point runs from Bigfork.

With two minutes left in the third, Mission was down by two before Bigfork closed the door, winning 56-40 in a physical game inside and outside.

“That was to their advantage,” Phillips said.

Gies earned his second double-double in as many games with a 19-point, 15-rebound effort.

“Jorren came to play and every one that saw the game will remember that,” Phillips said.

Durglo added seven points and six rebounds. Freshman Dylan Evans and senior Gui Silva each had three steals.

A bigger, stronger Bigfork team shot four open three-point shots and earned 12 points from Bulldog turnovers at half court.

Phillips said this game measured how far the team has come in three months.

“We can be extremely proud of that,” Phillips said.

In a win-or-go-home game against Thompson Falls, the winner would make the divisional tournament in Pablo this weekend.

Phillips said he knew this would be a tough match-up for Mission.

“Thompson Falls has lots of weapons, experience and is capable of putting 80-plus points on the board,” he said. “We played well enough in this game to win, but shot way too poorly to do so.”

The Bulldogs shot 3-for-22 in the first half and 7-for-26 in the second in the 42-29 loss.

“Their bench and experience at the guard post hurt us,” Phillips said.

Gies led with 12 points and seven rebounds while Durglo had eight points and six rebounds. Sophomore Austin McDonald had three steals, two points and three rebounds.

Phillips said he was impressed with the Bulldogs’ performance at the tournament.

“We played our best basketball,” he said. “We were ahead of the number two team in the state, Bigfork, late in the third quarter. We had a chance to advance and that was our team goal this year.”

Mission will say good-bye to five seniors: Gies, Durglo, Silva, Lakota Matt and Thomas Trahan.

Gies and Durglo combined for over half of the Bulldogs’ points and rebounds.

Gies averaged 13.3 points per game and Durglo notched 77 offensive rebounds in 21 games.

“They will all be greatly missed,” Phillips said. “They made us all better as a team, players and coaches.”