Libby Boys Basketball Loggers roll over Whitefish, 50-30

RONAN — The Libby High School boys basketball team capitalized on a scoreless second quarter by Whitefish to roll away with a 20-point win Thursday night at the northwest Class A district tournament.

Libby jumped out to a 19-8 lead after eight minutes of action and led 32-8 at the half.

Though junior powerhouse Ryggs Johnston made 11 points for Libby, he was not the top scorer against Whitefish, with junior JJ Davis scoring 12.

Overall, Logger scoring was well-spread, with much of the team making significant contributions, from senior Brian Peck with 7 to freshman Jay Beagle with 6.

Libby moves into the semifinal round 8 p.m. Friday, Feb. 16 versus Polson, who had a first-round bye after their 63-54 win against the Loggers on Feb. 10.

The Feb. 10 Polson victory came after the Libby had led for most of three quarters, with the Pirates only establishing a firm lead in the final minutes.

Prior to playing Whitefish, Peck and fellow senior Logan Christensen said they felt they could take the championship if they can keep their team energy high through the full four quarters of every game.

Heading into districts, Libby Head Coach Josh Bean said the team intended to take every game seriously, noting that even Whitefish had a lot of physical strength and is well-coached.

If the Loggers win against Polson, they will play the winner of the Ronan/Browning game scheduled for 5 p.m. Friday.

Libby 50, Whitefish 30

Libby 19 13 10 8 — 50

Whitefish 8 0 10 12 — 30

Libby — Brian Peck 7, JJ Davis 12, Ryggs Johnston 11, Jay Beagle 6, Nik Jones 7, Keith Johnson 7.

Whitefish — Justin Conklin 3, Brendyn Peacock 2, Mark Anderson 4, Sam Menicke 5, Ryan Kemm 8, Lee Walburn 5, Dillon Botner 3.