Troy boys' basketball season ends
The boys of Troy couldn’t keep pace with the Horsemen, who won the right to play in the divisional tournament with 48-44 victory in the teams’ play-in game at Plains on Tuesday. With the win, the Horsemen will take on top-seeded Bigfork on Thursday in the 7-B semifinal. With the loss, the Trojans’ season, coach Jerry Mee’s first, comes to an end.
Plains built a five-point lead in the first quarter, hitting two of a total of five 3-pointers in that quarter. Troy was ice-cold from behind the arc, going 1-13 in the game. “It may have been a different outcome if we could have hit a few,” Troy head coach Jerry Mee said.
Mee said they knew what to expect from Plains, having faced them twice this season, the last time was on Jan. 24. “They played the same way the last time we played them,” he said.
The Trojans didn’t go down without a fight, though. Down by just two in the fourth quarter, the Trojans had a chance to advance and face Bigfork, but a three-point attempt missed the mark. Troy was forced to foul and Plains converted their free throws to secure the win and keep their season alive. “It was a back-and-forth game, with both teams having the lead at some point,” Mee said.
“It was kind of a microcosm of our season,” said Troy head coach Jerry Mee. The team has been within striking distance in nearly every game this season, however few ended in their favor.
Mee said it was a crushing loss for the Trojans, with his team taking the loss pretty hard. “It was heartbreak hotel,” Mee said. But the team rallied in the locker room after the game and shared a few laughs before leaving the gym. “That’s athletics, that’s the way it goes,” he said. In team sports, one team always walks away defeated.
In his first season as the Trojans’ head coach, Mee said he was pleased with the heart the team showed. “It was enjoyable. The kids worked really hard and always came to practice ready to go. I was happy with their effort all season,” he said.
Troy’s Gage Tallmadge had a double-double, scoring a team-high 15 points and grabbing 10 rebounds. Sean Opland added nine points and nine rebounds. Craig Helmrick and Mason Chapel each chipped in six for the Trojans, who finished out the season at 5-14.
Plains (8-10 overall) was led by Kyle Revier, who finished with a game-high 17 points and went 2 for 2 from the behind the arc.
Troy Trojans (44)
Craig Helmrick 6, Dillon Savage 2, Gage Tallmadge 15, Brennan Olds 2, Sean Opland 9, Mason Chapel 6, Kolten Winebark 4.
Plains Horsemen (48)
Ryan Ovitt 10, Trent Brouillette 7, Alec Cole 2, Kyle Revier 17, Cole Benson 2, Aaron Baker 7, Bransen Krebs 2, Brenen Abromeit 1.
Plains 14 10 13 11_ 48
Troy 9 12 11 12_ 44