Warriors upend Eagles, 77-62
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Anytime Two Eagle and Arlee meet up, it’s going to be a good game. And the crowd wasn’t disappointed Jan. 12 as the Warriors and the Eagles duked it out in Arlee.
“We played the best ball of this season tonight,” head coach Dustin Keltner said after the Warriors won, 77-62, against the 6-3 Eagles.
The pace was fast from the get-go, and the two teams traded baskets and calls all night. The Warriors were able to capitalize on an early lead that they never gave up.
In the first quarter, the Warriors jumped to a 28-16 surge, leading 42-28 at the half.
The Eagles made a late-game attempt to catch up, sinking a couple of three-pointers courtesy of Clayton Malatare and Skyler Rossbach.
Arlee’s Junior Sansavere scored 16 points to lead the Warriors. Justin Adams added 14; Josh Reed tallied 13; Mark Fullerton had 11; and Sam Nelson chipped in 10.
“I wasn’t expecting that much of a lead … it felt good to be up against a team like that, they are a good team,” said Sansavere, crediting the teams’ performances to “intensity.”
“We have a proud basketball tradition in Arlee. They were really focused,” Keltner said. “We call it a family game because many of the Two Eagle kids live in Arlee, and they all play together during the summer. There’s very much (a sense of) competition and mutual respect.”
The next day, Jan. 13, the Vikings turned the table on the Warriors, leading at halftime 34-27, defeating Arlee 64-46 in Charlo. Webb O’Neill led the charge with 18 points. Joining O’Neill in double figures was Dillon Delaney with 16 and Tra Ludeman scoring 11.
Sansavere scored another 16 points in the loss, and Josh Reed sank 10.
Arlee (2-3, 4-5) faces Superior at home Jan. 20 and travels to Hot Springs Jan. 21.
On Jan. 14, the Eagles avenged their loss to the Warriors by taking out Valley Christian 72-55 in Pablo.
Still hot from Thursday night, Rossbach scored 19 points to lead all scorers. Mendoza and Cole Noble sank 12 each; Marcus Brown had 10; and Malatare added 16 assists.
The Eagles host Hot Springs Jan. 19 and visit Noxon Jan. 20.
SUMMARY
Arlee 77, Two Eagle River 62
Two Eagle 16 12 7 27 - 62
Arlee 28 14 12 23 - 77
TWO EAGLE RIVER - Cole Noble 8, Skyler Rossbach 24, Artie Mendoza 7, Clayton Malatare 8, Trentin Conko 8, Marcus Brown 7.
ARLEE - Sam Nelson 10, Christian Haynes 7, Mark Fullerton 11, Junior Sansavere 16, Dominic Burland 6, Justin Adams 14, Josh Reed 13.
Charlo 64, Arlee 46
Arlee 16 11 13 6 - 46
Charlo 18 16 16 14 - 64
ARLEE - Sam Nelson 5, Christian Haynes 6, Mark Fullerton 5, Junior Sansavere 16, Dominic Burland 2, Justin Adams 2, Josh Reed 10.
CHARLO - Dillon Delaney 16, Tra Ludeman 11, Webb O’Neill 18, Stephen Delaney 9, Kail Pope 2, Kolten Andrews 8.
Two Eagle River 72, Valley Christian 55
Valley Ch. 11 13 13 18 - 55
Two Eagle 22 14 22 14 - 72
VALLEY CHRISTIAN - Lane Norberg 11, Dylan Dybdal 12, Alex Love 14, Adam Richards 15, Tyler Moulding 3.
TWO EAGLE RIVER - Marcus Brown 10, Cole Noble 12, Skyler Rossbach 19, Clay Malatare 6, Artie Mendoza 12, Trentin Conko 8, Jaylenn Ducharme 5.
