Flathead, Sentinel square off tonight

The Daily Inter Lake

It's been a few years since the Flathead varsity boys basketball team has played for anything except pride in February. But there will be plenty on the line when the Braves host Missoula Sentinel tonight at 7:30.

Flathead and Sentinel come in with identical 6-2 marks in Western AA play, so the winner of tonight's game will find itself in the driver's seat for the conference title.

"We have a lot to say as to what's going to happen in conference," Flathead coach Fred Febach said.

The Braves also are eager to exact some revenge on the Spartans, who beat Flathead 57-51 in Missoula on Jan. 5. Sentinel sophomore center Andy Garland ran amuck on the Braves in the paint, scoring 36 points. Garland is Western AA's top scorer at 17.1 points per game.

"We didn't guard Garland very well last time," Febach said. "We weren't blocking him out and he got too many put backs."

Fortunately, the Braves can counter with constantly improving freshman Brock Osweiler, Western AA's second-leading scorer at 16.3 ppg. Osweiler had a streak of three consecutive 20-point efforts snapped in Saturday's loss to Great Falls.

"The strength of both teams lies in the post," Febach said. "We just have to play good, solid, disciplined defense.

"I think it's going to come down to who can settle into the game first."

Osweiler will also have some scoring help from senior guard Jeremy DeHerrera (11.9 ppg) and junior forward Geoff Hogan (10.9 ppg). Seniors Beau Watkins and Mack Andrews round out Flathead's starting lineup.

Sentinel's other starters include junior forward Brant Beaudry (12.8 ppg), sophomore forward Mark Henkel (11.0 ppg), and senior guards Collin Thomas and Bryan Olson.

Flathead has some extra added incentive after losing its last game. The team has yet to lose consecutive games, and would like to keep it that way.

"We've been able to understand the mistakes we've made in each loss and have been able to rectify them," Febach said. "We want to avoid any kind of a funk."

The Braves also have the home-court advantage this time, and it's been kind to them all year. They are a perfect 9-0 in front of the Flathead faithful.

"The crowds have been great all year," Febach said. "We expect a vocal, enthusiastic crowd (tonight).

"It should be a lot of fun."

The Bravettes also face Sentinel tonight, and the match-up is just as big. Seemingly out of the race for a top-2 conference spot and automatic berth in the state tournament last month, the team has roared back into sole possession of third place at 5-3. Sentinel is first at 7-1, while Big Sky is second at 6-2.

"We feel a lot better than we did (last month)," Flathead coach Dennis Latimer said. "We control our own destiny, but we're going to have to be road warriors."

After falling 53-46 in their previous match-up on Jan. 5, the Bravettes will have to travel down to Missoula for tonight's clash. They have only one home game, tomorrow night's game against Big Sky, left in the regular season.

Just like the boys, tonight's match-up will feature a pair of high-scoring stars. Flathead senior Holli Hashley, two-time Western AA scoring champ, is at it again this year with a league-best 15.8 points per game. Right behind her, however, is Sentinel junior Lindsay Wimett, who's averaging 15.5 ppg.

"We're very similar teams," Latimer said. "We just need someone to step up alongside Holli."

In their last game, Hashley scored 19 points, but no other Bravette reached double figures. Wimett, on the other hand, was joined by senior center Sarah Rott, who scored 12.

However, Flathead has left that problem behind as someone has managed to step up nearly every game, helping the team win nine of its last 10 games.

Sophomore point guard Meghan O'Connell has become a credible outside threat for the Bravettes, averaging 6.6 points and 3.8 assists per contest. Junior guard Chaeney Latimer (6.9 ppg) and junior forward Chelsea Vaudt (5.8 points, 5.5 rebounds per game) have also upped their games in the season's second half. Flathead's fifth starter, junior Lindsay Ingram, had a career-high 17 points in the team's win over Great Falls on Saturday.

Sentinel's other starters include sophomore guard Meghan Eisenmann, junior guard Tiffany Cole and junior forward Alicia Martin.

"It should be a good game," Latimer said. "It's going to be a matter of will and who can execute."