Maidens topple Eureka in opener, prepare for Three Forks Tourney

RONAN — The Ronan Maidens basketball team has three returning starters from last year’s squad and they are good ones as they begin their basketball season.

“We have three starters coming back and a couple of bench players that will play pretty big roles,” Maidens’ Coach Ron Hanson said.

The Maidens return point and wing guard Micalann McCrea, post player Alicia Camel, and Lee Camel at the post and wing position. They also have sophomore point and shooting guard Louetta Camel and wing guard Jaelynn Askan.

Ronan won its first contest of the season with a 67-40 victory over Eureka.

“We started off a little slow in the first quarter and we made some adjustments,” Hanson said. “Offensively, we actually ended up with a lot of easy lay ups off the defense and we struggled shooting a lot in that game and we came on later (offensively) in that game.”

The Maidens will enter the Three Forks Tournament playing against Fairfield. The Maidens will play Fairfield Friday at 4 p.m. and Big Timber Saturday at 4 p.m. both at Three Forks High School gymnasium.

“They have one of the best post players in the state and that will be our concentration,” Hanson said. “We have to figure out a way of containing her in the post. They are quick and they run a lot of traps on defense. They get some really easy buckets and that is kind of what we do. We don’t allow them them to get traps set. We have to run our offense a little quicker, make better passes and hit the gaps. Hopefully, the game against Fairfield will be a pretty good ball. game”

According to Hanson, the Chiefs “match up well” against Fairfield.

“We got three starters and they have been really strong starters,” Hanson said. “Last year, Fairfield was second in the state last year and they have their three main kids back. It should be a fun game and really good test for us.”

Hanson said he felt the game against Fairfield will come down to executing the basic fundamental elements of basketball.

“We are going to have to come down and get rebounds,” Hanson said. “We are playing good defense and we just have to keep from turning the basketball over. That is going to be the big three for us. We just have to keep them from getting offensive rebounds. We should be with them and if we can’t do that, they are going to take it to us.”

The Maidens will go into their match not knowing much about Big Timber.

“We really don’t know much about Big Timber,” Hanson admitted. “I have heard talk that they will use a full court press, and come after us to create turnovers and get easy baskets. They play hard and fast. We are going to have to adjust our game and try to slow them down a bit.”

Hanson said he felt his Maidens get better exposure playing in the Three Forks Tournament.

“Last year, the Missoula Tip-Off didn’t really give us any kind of gauge with (other teams in the region),” Hanson said. “The Three Forks Tournament gives us exposure to Northern A and B teams where we are compared to those divisions once the postseason comes around. The last two years, Northern B has been the most dominant. Fairfield and Malta probably be the top teams in the state. We will get a gauge of our team’s weaknesses. We will work on them and get better.”