Warriors too much for Vikings in district finals, win 5th straight title
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By Rob Zolman Valley Journal
PABLO – For the fifth year in a row, the Arlee boys’ basketball team has brought home district hardware. On Saturday, the Warriors won the 14C district title 80-49 against the Charlo Vikings at the Joe McDonald Health and Fitness Center on the Salish Kootenai College campus in Pablo. Arlee came in as the defending back-to-back Class C state champions and finished their district schedule undefeated, entering the 14C District postseason with a bye on Thursday.
In the semifinals game on Friday, Arlee had very little problem advancing into Saturday’s championship game as they had 11 players score points against the Hot Springs Savage Heat. Lane Johnson led the Warriors with a game-high 20 points in the 87-55 win over Hot Springs, followed by Greg Whitesell with 15 points and Isaac Fisher who had 14 points.
On Saturday night, Arlee went up against the Charlo Vikings in the championship game. The game started with the Warriors — who won the regular season contests 85-62 and 64-53 — limiting the Vikings offense to six points and taking a 22-6 first quarter lead.
The Vikings’ best offense was played in the second quarter when they outscored the Warriors 19-15. At halftime, the Warriors were up by 12 points, 37-25. Both teams battled hard during the third quarter, but Charlo could not cut into the lead, and the Vikings trailed 55-40.
In the fourth, the Vikings kept fighting but came up short as the Warriors put the game out of reach with a 25-9 scoring outburst.
Whitesell scored eleven of his game-high 28 points in the fourth quarter for the Warriors. Isaac Fisher scored 17 points and Billy Fisher added 13. For the Vikings, Landers Smith finished with 17 points.
Both teams will advance to the divisional portion of the playoffs in Butte. Next weekend’s matchups are dependent on the final results of a couple of challenge games.
