Superb free throw shooting carries Loggers past Eureka

Home cooking proved to be delicious dish for the Libby Loggers boys basketball team Tuesday as it beat Eureka, 50-35.

Superb foul shooting helped carry the Loggers to the triumph as they played their first home game after splitting two contests at the Frenchville Tip-off Tournament last weekend.

Led by three seniors, the Loggers hit 19 of 22 from the stripe, including all nine attempts in the fourth quarter when they built a one-point margin to the final score.

Senior Aidan Rose led the Loggers with 13 points, including a perfect 7-for-7 performance at the free throw line. Alderic Martineau was 7-for-8 and scored 11 points while Ryan Beagle hit 2 of 4 and scored 10 points. Two of Beagle’s hoops were 3-pointers.

The Loggers also got some solid complementary play from sophomore James Woody, junior Isaac Lamere and junior Tristan Andersen. Woody scored six points while Lamere and Andersen tallied five each. Lamere had one 3-pointer.

Leading by one point entering the fourth quarter, the Loggers took control quickly. Martineau hit a pair of free throws at 7:23, then Rose hit two more at 6:17 to make it 38-33.

A steal by Martineau set up a Beagle triple at 5:44 to make it 41-33. With 4:49 left, Andersen’s 3-point play pushed the lead to double digits, 44-33.

Lamere put the finishing touch on the win when hit long shot hit the rim and dropped in for a 3-pointer and a 46-33 lead with 3:08 left.

Libby (2-1) also tightened up defensively, allowing just 11 second-half points to the Lions. 

The Loggers host Stevensville Friday. The freshman game tips off at 2 p.m. at the high school, followed by the junior varsity at 3:30 p.m. and varsity at 5 p.m.

Note: A moment of silence was held before the game in honor of former Libby educator, coach and official John Brumbaugh. He was an official at the 1988 Montana East-West Football Shrine game. 

    Libby's Ryan Beagle helped lead the Loggers basketball team to a 50-35 win Tuesday, Dec. 18, 2024, scoring 10 points. (Scott Shindledecker/The Western News)