Libby hoops teams fall to Bigfork, Ronan

The Libby girls and boys basketball teams both fell to visiting Ronan last week.

Libby hosted the varsity doubleheader on Saturday. The girls squad fell 43-26 while the boys team lost 53-43.

The Loggers battled the Chiefs and had the game in reach midway with 4:59 left to play before Ronan used a game-ending 12-5 run to get the win.

The Loggers had two leads in the first quarter, including one at the 3:50 mark when Tyler Andersen hit a 3-pointer to make it 8-7. The Loggers trailed 12-9 when Cy Williams hit a layup with 29 seconds left while getting fouled hard. Williams got up after a few minutes and Tristan Andersen hit the free throw for his teammate to make it 12-12.

Ronan held a slim lead throughout the second before Aidan Rose’s 3 with 2:39 left made it 21-19 in favor of the Loggers.

Ronan took a lead to halftime and built it to 11 points midway through the third, 33-22, before the Loggers rallied.

Williams, who returned to the game, scored inside with 1:54 left to make it a six-point game. Williams’ layup capped a 8-2 Loggers run. Ronan managed to lead 39-30 entering the fourth quarter.

But the Loggers answered with an 8-2 run to cut the deficit to three, 41-38, with 4:59 left. Tristan Andersen sandwiched baskets around a score by Williams and two free throws from Tyler Andersen. Tristan pumped his first after a drive and score to make it 41-38, energizing the home crowd.

The Chiefs called a timeout with 4:52 left and it worked to stop the Libby momentum. Ronan’s 12-5 run gave it a 10-point win.

At Bigfork on Jan. 4, the Loggers led by as many as nine points in the third quarter, but the Vikings rallied to force overtime where they won, 58-54.

In the girls game, Ronan led 11-3 before the Lady Loggers got within five points, 13-8, after one quarter. The Maidens led 22-11 at halftime and pulled away in the third quarter, outscoring Libby 12-6 to build a 17-point lead.

Kaydence Stanek led Libby with 11 points while Rylee Delmas scored six. Madison Vincent scored four, Ellie Andreessen and Peyton Waggoner each had two and Rachel Kosters scored one point.

On Jan. 4, visiting Bigfork beat Libby, 60-15. Waggoner and Morgan Hayes each scored four points. Stanek had three, Bergen Fortner and Kosters each scored two points.

    Libby's Tyler Andersen heads to the basket against Bigfork on Jan. 4, 2024. (Jeremy Weber/Bigfork Eagle)
  

    Libby's Rylee Delmas defends against Ronan's Arianna Zepeda on Jan. 6, 2024. (Scott Shindledecker/The Western News)
  

    Libby's Kaydence Stanek looks to pass against Ronan on Jan. 6, 2024. (Scott Shindledecker/The Western News)