Bulldogs win first game in “dog house”

ST. IGNATIUS — The Mission boys basketball team won its first game at home last Saturday against Thompson Falls, 52-50.

The Bulldogs went four-for-15 from the field while the Blue Hawks went two-for-14.

“It was a good start,” head coach Lloyd Phillips said. “We should have been up more.”

Mission increased its lead to 10 points in the second quarter even though Thompson Falls made six points in the last 90 seconds.

After the half, Mission sunk 15 points to Thompson Falls’ seven. The Bulldogs increased their lead to 20 with six minutes left before senior Jake Durglo fouled out.

Thompson Falls took advantage and Brandon Wakefield “went off,” scoring 19 points. He had been scoreless from the field up until that point.

Phillips said the Bulldogs kept fouling and it allowed them to score with the clock stopped.

“That hurt us more than the three pointers,” he said.

Senior Jorren Gies led with 23 points, 14 points and seven steals.

“Gies played like we need him to,” Phillips said. “He can be one of the best players in Montana.”

Senior Gui Silva added 11 points and one steal, not once turning the ball over.

Mission was able to hold on for a two-point win despite sickness and injuries taking its toll on the team.

Junior Riley Charlo sprained his ankle in the second quarter of the game while sophomore Josh Durglo was “very sick but still played hard,” Phillips said. Jake Durglo was also sick for both of Mission’s games, but managed 16 points and 18 assists, including a double-double against Thompson Falls.

The previous night, the Bulldogs entered the game against Plains with the goal to “compete with the number three team in the state,” Phillips said.

“It was a good game to measure ourselves and how far we have come in eight weeks versus a great team,” he said.

In the first quarter, Mission was outscored 23-10, going three-for-eight from the field. The Bulldogs held the lead twice at 4-2 and 6-4 but Plains came back to take the lead at 12-10 and Mission was unable to make any more baskets. Plains went on an 11-point run to end the quarter.

In the second quarter, Mission made five baskets in the field but ended the half down 39-22.

Phillips stressed that his team had to play one possession at a time and see what happens.

The Bulldogs took his advice and made the first six points of the third, closing the lead to 11 points.

Plains fought back and went on an eight-point run in the last two minutes to end with a 53-32 lead.

Mission fumbled in the fourth, scoring two points in the last four and a half minutes of the game, losing 67-41.

Gies led with 11 points and six rebounds, while Phillips said Silva had his best game of the year with nine points and four rebounds.

“This was one of our best efforts of the year to date,” Phillips said. “Plains had two runs of 11 and 10 points. The other 25 minutes of the game, we played with them.”

Mission travels to Ronan on Saturday in its only game of the week.