Warriors go dancing
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ARLEE — Arlee’s boys basketball team won the boys’ Western C challenge game against Ennis last week by a score of 68-60. Trailing by one point at the half, the warriors rallied late and brought home a win while guaranteeing the Warriors their third state championship tournament berth in four years.
“It was a dog fight,” said head coach JR Camel. “Our guys were ready, though. They were excited and we were on a roll after we lost the first game at district. They understand that the next game we lose, we’re done for the season.”
Camel said he believes the sense of urgency is palpable for his team as most of the starters are seniors and this is their last shot at a title.
“(Before the challenge game,) they all looked me in the eye and said, ‘This isn’t our last game, coach,’” Camel recalled. “That’s all I needed to hear and that’s all I needed to see, so I said, ‘OK, let’s go.”
Camel pointed out several impressive individual performances, and senior Josh Reid’s was among them. Reed was sick most of the weekend and could barely walk before the game.
“I mean, he was really sick,” Camel said. Even so, Reid came to play and averaged a double-double on the weekend.
“Our seniors stepped up,” Camel said. “Not the best I’ve seen them play, but as a group and as a family, they understand it’s us against every other team and we have to win, no matter what. That’s what I’m excited about — they all came together.”
So, for the third time in four years, the Arlee Warriors are heading to the state tournament. For the squad’s five seniors, it’s the last chance to bring home a state title — the last dance.
There is no consolation bracket, and the rules for competition are simple: win, and you advance; lose, and you go home.
Every player knows this, but no Warrior fears it.
“I’m excited. Super excited, not nervous,” senior Zachary Camel said about facing the undefeated defending state champions in the tournament’s first round. “I’m not really nervous because I know I put in the work for 17 years. We’ve worked hard in practice; all our guys are ready; and we’re ready to start proving stuff to everybody — prove that we’re not just another team; we’re bigger than that.”
Just a week earlier, Camel broke the Montana High School Association’s single-season assist record. Camel’s current total of 248 crushed the old record of 230 assists set during the 1994-95 season by Shane Gamradt of Fairfield High School.
All-time assists records are generally not sought after achievements. Most are set by athletes aiming for all-time points scored or yards gained or games won, because those are the crowning achievements guaranteed to elevate a player’s status.
But Camel said he made the conscious decision early on in the season to go for the assists record.
“That was one of my big goals,” Camel said. “Hopefully I can get a few more assists going into the tournament. I’m trying to get to 300; that’s where I set my goal.
(I went for assists rather than points scored) because assists is something I can do that will keep my team happy. That way, I get to look at them and say, ‘Hey, you guys are the ones scoring. I’m just passing you the ball.’ It keeps everyone happy, and we win when everyone is happy, so I think it’s fun.”
Camel added that he’s not in it for the glory — the goal is to win, and “it’s as simple as that.”
Senior Christian Haynes said he’s excited for the chance to play in another state tournament.
“I think we work harder than anybody else in the state during our practices,” he said. We run a lot in practice; we push the ball; lift weights; I just think that we do a lot more than anybody else .... we deserve this more than any other team out there because of how hard we work and how we come together as a team.”
Every member of the Warrior team said the biggest difference between last year and this year was teamwork. Actually, the team is more like a family.
“I think we’ve developed a family ever since the beginning of the season,” said senior and first-year Warrior Rocky Lewis.
Lewis moved to Arlee after playing for three years at Dodson High School near Malta. According to Lewis, coach Camel helped him improve tremendously and he’s leanred a great deal about the game since the move.
“(The Dodson teams) didn’t really play together too well,” Lewis said. “Some of the kids didn’t get along, and of course, we lost games. Coming to Arlee was a much better choice for me. I kind of wish I’d come over here earlier.”
The Arlee Warriors play Fairview in the second game of the state championship tournament March 7 at noon. The tournament takes place in MSU-Bozeman’s Brick Breeden Fieldhouse March 7-9.
