Polson regroups from loss to beat Ronan

RONAN — Entering Tuesday’s Polson and Ronan girls’ basketball game, one team was coming off a loss and one was coming off a win.

Ronan was looking to win its second game in a row after beating Whitefish 42-32 last Saturday. It the first win for the Maidens since Feb. 8, 2008, against Columbia Falls and snapped a 29-game losing streak.

“We got the monkey off our backs,” head coach Doug Fisher said. “I’m excited for our kids. They are the ones that are excited. We are a very young team and they are starting to believe that they can win.”

Ronan jumped out with an early 15-6 lead but let down in the second half, putting four points on the board.

Ronan came out in the second half and outscored Whitefish 23-15.

Junior Jonna Grant led with 13 points.

“She was outstanding for us,” Fisher said. “In the post, she just dominated tha game.”

Sophomore Nina Orozco helped with 10.

“She did a great job, running the team and controlling the tempo,” Fisher said.

Freshman Courtney Clairmont also got her first varsity start.

“She did a great job for us,” Fisher said.

Fisher said the young team is adjusting well to the new system.

“When we had time outs, they went out and executed what we asked,” he said.

Defense is what has kept Ronan in the game, Fisher said, limiting Hamilton, Corvallis and Whitefish to 30 points.

“That gives us a chance to win,” he said. “I’d rather lose 4-2 than 70-37.”

The Maidens took the momentum and defense into their game against Polson on Tuesday.

“When you come off a win, emotions are high,” Fisher said. “We realize Polson is older and more mature. We started one freshman and two sophomores.”

Polson, on the other hand, entered the game after it was handed its first loss of the season last Saturday at the hands of Stevensville.

“We got down a few times,” head coach Randy Kelley said. “We didn’t do a good job of taking care of the ball.”

Polson was down three points at the half, but Kelley said the Pirates lost focus in the third quarter, scored five points and were down by 12 heading into the final quarter.

The Pirates switched up their defense in the fourth to a man-to-man scheme.

The 52-47 loss saw the Pirates put up half of their points, 24, in the fourth quarter.

“It was too late for a comeback,” Kelley said.

Junior Breanne Kelley put up 15 points, nine of which came during the fourth-quarter surge.

Junior Sierra Pete added 14 and three offensive rebounds.

“Pete had a good game,” Kelley said.

The Pirates were without senior Nicole Davey and junior Marlee Berry.

Kelley said Polson would have to regroup before its game on Tuesday against Ronan.

“We have to do a better job of taking care of the ball,” he said. “Nothings easy. We need to take care of some small things.”

The Pirates started the game against Ronan strong, scoring seven points before Ronan put in a basket. Polson sophomore Riley Kenney put in the first two points on a rebound and Polson junior Marlee Berry put in two at the line. Breanne Kelley dished out a pass to Polson junior Sierra Pete for another two.

Kenney fouled Ronan junior Tailyr Irvine, who put Ronan on the board with two free throws.

Ronan missed a couple passes and recoverd before Breanne Kelley stole the ball twice and went in for easy lay ups on back-to-back plays.

Ronan’s Orozco put her body on the line, prevented the shot from going in, but fouled Berry in the process. Berry made it count as she put two free throws in. Grant sent another Pirate to the line on the next play, where Polson’s Kenney also put two in for a 12-2 lead.

Ronan junior Alice Van Gunten got on the scoresheet with two points before Kenney grabbed her own rebound several times but couldn’t put the ball in. However, she was fouled and sunk both shots.

Breanne Kelley got the ball for what seemed to be an easy lay-up, but Ronan sophomore Ashely Grandchamp hustled back to prevent her from scoring.

Breanne Kelley was fouled and put up two more points.

On the next play, Ronan was sent to the line when Polson junior Kendyall Rochin fouled Ronan junior Taylor Lynch, but Lynch couldn’t make any baskets and the Maiden’s deficit remained 4-17.

Van Gunten founght for a rebound and got it before sophomore Lindsay Clairmont added two more for Ronan.

With 25.2 seconds left in the half, Grandchamp hit a three-pointer for a 15-34 score.

Ronan couldn’t overcome the Pirates early lead while Polson kept up the intensity and brought players off the bench to win the game 51-26.

Kenney led the Pirates with a double-double, making 16 pionts and 12 rebounds. Breanne Kelley added 13 points for the Pirates.

Ronan was led by eight points from Grant and four points from both Van Gunten and Orozco.

Up next, Polson hosts Glacier on Saturday while Ronan travels to Libby.