Pirates start hoops season with split at Missoula Tip-Off

MISSOULA — The Polson Pirates boys basketball team experienced a mixture of results in their season-opening games against Dillon and Corvallis at the Missoula Tip-Off Tournament Friday night at the Auxiliary Gym at the Adams Center Arena.

The Pirates fell in the first game of the season to the Beavers 66-44 in the first game of the tournament. According to Pirates’ Coach Randy Kelley, his team just “never got into a rhythm” against one of the perennial favorites to win Class-A this season.

“(Our lack of rhythm) had to do with several things and the type of defense they play.” Kelley said. “It was very tough at times and I think we took a few things away from the game. We weren’t very good in transition defense or offense and (at this point in the season), we still have some things to work on.”

Kelley said he felt like Polson’s early struggles were related to their “execution.”

“We came down and didn’t run our man defense against them and didn’t rotate,” Kelley said. “Dillon shot the ball well. We were surprised at how well they shot the ball being the first game out.”

Kelley said the sharp-shooting Beaver guards Troy Anderson and Tanner Havrefield were also a contributing factor to the Pirates’ loss. Anderson and Havrefield accounted for 41 of the Beaver’s 66 total points.

“Anderson and Havrefield’s performance was just a trickle-down effect as far as them shooting well,” Kelley said. “We adjusted very well in our man defense. Hopefully we will get another shot at them in the Divisional Tournament.”

The Pirates still had offensive production from several players in their rematch of last year’s Class-A Divisional Championship and rematch of last season’s Missoula Tip-Off opener against the Beavers.

Matthew Rensvold finished with 18 points, Tanner Wilson had 10, Jaydon Bautista had five, Shade Main had four, and Jeremiah North Piegan finished with three.

Kelley, who said his team is still getting acclimated to the basketball season and getting their “basketball legs” under them, felt his team made a lot of adjustments in their second game of the two-game tournament in their 77-43 victory over Corvallis Saturday at the Adams Center.

“We wanted to push the basketball on offense,” Kelley said. “I felt that we pushed the ball and tried to get some transition buckets against Dillon. Against Corvallis, we pushed the basketball well and we were able to get back on transition defense.”

Of the Pirates’ 61 shots, they shot at 52 percent against Corvallis. The Pirates also had 12 offensive rebounds and 41 rebounds against the Blue Devils

“The way we shot was really good and we can carry that momentum over into the season,” Kelley said. “It was a good night as far as rebounding but Corvallis is a very different team than Dillon.”

In the early portion of the Pirates’ non-conference season, they were able to make adjustments from game one to game two, according to Kelley.

“From Dillon to Corvallis, we made some better judgments as far as things we were able to do well (against the Blue Devils),” Kelley said. “Right now, we just need to take care of the things that we can control, and hopefully we need to be in control of in late February.”

Rensvold finished with 19 points, North Piegan scored 14, Jaydon Bautista finished with 10, Main had nine, Johnson had nine, Connor Lanier had five, Wilson had four, Danley had three, Schultz scored two and Askan finished with two.

Moving forward, Kelley said his Pirates’ offense still needs some tweaking.

“(Against Dillon) we looked lethargic on offense but I believe our shooting will come around,” Kelley said. “We shot only 50 percent from the free throw line and that isn’t good. I thought we shot the 3-ball well (against Corvallis). Against the Blue Devils, we shot the ball at will. We will just get better as the season goes along and I am not too worried about our turnovers. That is something we will improve on (as the season progresses).”

The Pirates will host Flathead Thursday at 7:30 p.m. at Linderman Elementary School as part of their three-game series this week that includes Glacier, Flathead, and Hamilton. Polson will then travel to Hamilton and play the Broncs Saturday at 5:30 p.m. at Hamilton High School.

Against Flathead, the Pirates will face some sharp shooters Kelley said.

“Flathead likes to push the ball and they have very good shooters,” Kelley said. “We have to get out and pressure their shooters. Flathead lives and dies on the perimeter. Against a team like Flathead, you have to sit in a zone. It’s kind of damned if you do, and damned if you don’t go after them and force them to get things done on the perimeter.”

While scouting Hamilton at the Missoula Tip-Off, Kelley said he was “impressed” with their shooters.

“He watched them against C-Falls and Hamilton got great looks against the Wildcats with the inside and outside shooters, and they are shooting the ball with confidence,” Kelley said. “I like to look inside and out in every game. We like to get the ball into Matthew. He is pretty good and he isn’t a selfish kid by any means. When they double down on him, he’s a pretty good passer and he will kick it out.”

Kelley said he is “pleased” with his team’s performance in the opening week though he knows there are several improvements they have to make.

“We just played better team ball (against Corvallis),” Kelley said. “We weren’t on our heels the whole night and you can’t play on your heels every time you make a mistake. It’s a big week for us. Hopefully we will have a good group and fan base, and the roads will be well enough to travel to Hamilton.”

Dillon 66, Polson 44

In Missoula at the Auxilary Gym,

Dillon 13 21 14 18 – 66

Polson 7 13 14 10 – 44

DILLON – Tanner Haverfield 8 2-2 21, Troy Andersen 6 7-8 20, , Michael Haverfield 3 0-0 7, Jamey Richardson 3 0-1 8, Clay Allison 2, RJ Fitzgerald 2, Coby King 0 2-2 2, Andrew Lemiuex 2, Kyson Wilson 2. Totals 24 11-13 66.

POLSON – Matt Rensvold 7 4-7 18, J’von Johnson 7, Tanner Wilson 3 1-3 *7, Jaydon Bautista 1 2-3 *5, Shade Main 4, Jeremiah North Piegan 3. Totals 17 7-13 44.

3FGs – Dillon 7 (T.Haverfield 3), Polson 3 (Johnson, Bautista, NorthPiegan). 26REB (Rensvold 7, NorthPiegan 7, Johnson 4, Wilson 3, Bautista 2, Connor Lanier 2, Main). 5STL (Main 2, Bautista, Wilson, Rensvold). 12AST (Main 3, Johnson 2, Wilson 2, Lanier 2, Rensvold 2, Bautista). 4BLK (Johnson 3, NorthPiegan). (Fr09Dec16)

Asterisk (*) denotes stat variant(s): Wilson 5p, Bautista 7p

Polson 12 22 18 25 – 77

Corvallis 10 6 12 15 – 43

POLSON – Matthew Rensvold 9 1-5 19, Jeremiah North Piegan 5 2-3 *14, Jaydon Bautista 4 1-2 10, Shade Main 4 1-2 9, J’von Johnson 4 0-0 *9, Connor Lanier 2 0-1 5, Tanner Wilson 2 0-0 4, Weston Danley 3, Sam Schultz 0 2-2 2, Asa Askan 2. 32 7-14 77.

CORVALLIS – Liang Liedle 3, Logan Roth 13, Ridge Albright 3, Kolton Mahan 2, Tylor Nixon 7, Justin Catanach 8, Kobe Jessop 7.

3FG 6-16 (NorthPiegan 2, Bautista, Johnson, Lanier, Danley). 41REB (Bautista 9, NorthPiegan 8, Main 7, Wilson 5, Rensvold 4, Johnson 4, Lanier 2, Danley, Schultz). 8STL (Bautista 4, Wilson 2, NorthPiegan, Askan). 26AST (Johnson 5, Lanier 5, Main 5, Wilson 4, Bautista 3, Rensvold 2, NorthPiegan, Askan). 4BLK (NorthPiegan, Rensvold, Main, Askan). (Sa10Dec16)

Asterisk (*) denotes stat variant(s): NorthPiegan 16p, Johnson 7p.