Loggers defeat Bigfork, fall to Glacier

Libby went on the road last Friday, defeating Bigfork 67-51, but lost at home to Kalispell Glacier in a fight to the end, 64-60.

Logger basketball coach Wally Winslow said slow starts were a factor in both games.

"They didn't play with much enthusiasm early on," he said. "I think the same thing that slowed us down on Friday, slowed us down Saturday."

Although the Loggers trailed 15-7 in the first quarter in Bigfork, they came back in the second to take a three point lead by the half.

"We played real well in the second and third quarter," he said. "We played harder and got some kids in transition," he said, referring to more layups and quick shots.

Jim Mee scored 26 points for Libby, nine of them 3-pointers. Mee also netted all seven of his freethrows.

Conner Benson and Bryan Cooper added double digits for the Loggers with 12 and 10 points respectively.

Winslow said the balanced scoring has really helped the Loggers.

"That makes a big difference when you can get several kids to contribute in the scoring column." he said.

Brock Boll led in scoring for Bigfork with 12 points in the Northwestern A match.

The next night in Libby, the Western AA Wolfpack won, 64-60, averting a 21 point Logger scoring frenzy in the final quarter.

Kalispell Glacier led by 11 points at the half, with Glacier's Shay Smithwick-Hann contributing 13 of his 22 team leading points in their second quarter burst.

Jim Mee led all teams in scoring with 26 points for Libby, grabbing seven rebounds. Joel Fuller followed with 13 points.

"The kids were playing hard on Saturday - that was an improvement over Friday. But there were some times we weren't getting the rebounds we needed to get.

To the kids' credit, they never gave up," he added. "We had a chance to tie it at the end and it just didn't go in."

Winslow said although the team works hard, they still need to work on consistency.

"It hasn't been real consistent in their effort, but they never quit," he said. "That'll help us down the road."

Winslow noted the players are all contributing more, improving the team as a whole.

"I think Joel Fuller has been playing better for us lately," he said, "Conner Benson too. With the other kids starting to contribute - Zack Rowan, Bryan Cooper, Jordan Gragert - all those kids are doing some real good things for us," he said.

Winslow also noted Mee's twenty points-per-game average.

"Jim Mee has been consistent throughout the games," he added.

"When we play the best basketball is when everyone contributes."