Scarlets end year at districts

RONAN — Experience was a factor in the Arlee girls’ basketball team’s district tournament.

Playing with two seniors, one junior, one sophomore and two starting freshman put the Scarlets at the lower end of the familiarity scale.

Another factor for Arlee was energy. By Saturday, the Scarlets had played four games in 48 hours.

Arlee started the district tournament against St. Regis and held a 9-5 lead after the first quarter, before giving up 16 points in the second quarter.

Arlee regrouped at half-time to score 11 in the third to be down 27-26.

An 18-point fourth quarter led the Scarlets to a 44-37 victory.

Freshman Kristyn Adams led with 22 points. Freshman Mahalia Hendren notched nine rebounds.

Next up, Arlee faced Hot Springs, who went on to take the district crown.

In a physical game, Arlee scored a majority of its points in the first quarter. Adams led things off with a basket before Hot Springs went on a 10-point run. Sophomore Anna Greenwood and senior Chelsea Allaire both added baskets at the end of the first as Arlee was down 19-9. The Scarlets were unable to make a basket in the second quarter and faced a 31-9 deficit.

“It was just a physical, ugly game on both sides,” head coach Richard Bachmeier said.

Adams and sophomore Jenna Pablo rounded out Arlee’s scoring in the 39-13 loss.

Hot Springs’ experience showed as the Savage Heat made four of five three-point shots and grabbed more rebounds while fouling less.

“They know what it takes and we are just learning what it takes,” Bachmeier said.

Arlee faced Two Eagle River 18 hours later and came out scoring. The Scarlets put 19 points in during both the first and third quarters in the 54-36 win. Adams nabbed 17 points and six rebounds to lead Arlee and Ivanoff added 11 points.

In the consolation final, Arlee faced Noxon for both teams second game of the day.

Bachmeier said both teams were tired after finishing their previous games less than four hours earlier.

“[Noxon was] in the same boat,” he said. “They just played better than us.”

The Lady Devils came out and scored 20 points in the first half to Arlee’s 12.

Bachmeier said he thought the game went well overall.

“I thought we played with intensity,” he said. “We didn’t quit.”

The Scarlets came out to score 17 points in the second half, but it wasn’t enough and lost 45-29 to end their season.

Ivanoff led with 10 points and Hendren had eight points and 12 rebounds.

Arlee finished fourth after entering the tournament as the fourth seed.

“Overall, I’m pleased with the season,” Bachmeier said. “We’ve come a long way. It’s been awhile since an Arlee team has won as many games as this crew did.”

The success the program had this year was from the improvement of each individual, he said. Arlee went 9-13 on the season.

“I think we will go as far as they want to go next year,” Bachmeier said. “It depends on how hard they want to work for it.”