Missoula Loyola boys claim Class B state basketball title over Malta
When the going gets tough for the Missoula Loyola boys’ basketball team, the philosophy is simple.
“Feed the beast,” senior guard Nick Konzen said, referring to 6-foot-5 post Reynolds Johnston.
Johnston exploded for 14 points in the third quarter Saturday at Four Seasons Arena, keying Loyola’s 65-55 victory over Malta in the Class B state championship game.
Johnston led all scorers with 22 points on top of six rebounds while Konzen added 14 points, seven boards and three assists in the first-ever state title for the Loyola program.
“I couldn’t be happier,” Konzen said. “I’m so grateful for the group of guys I’m with. I love the coaching staff. Couldn’t be happier.”
Up five at the half, Johnston poured in 14 of his team’s 18 points in the third frame as the Rams seized control, starting the period with a completed and-one before knocking down a 3-pointer and adding a pair of hoops in the low post.
The jaunt put Loyola up 12 heading into the final quarter, and the advantage ballooned to 18 early in the fourth as junior Noah Haffey drilled a pair from downtown and Konzen scooped a steal for a fast-break layup.
Malta cut the deficit to 10 late as Stockton Oxarart, Treyton Wilkie and Bohdi Brenden all hit 3-pointers, but the Rams managed to maintain the distance and hang on.
The Mustangs blazed out of the gate on a 10-0 run, with Jared Eggebrecht hitting a pair of jumpers and Wilkie sinking his first two attempts from beyond the arc in just two minutes of play.
The Rams closed the gap with a 9-0 spurt of their own as Konzen contributed a pair of baskets and Talen Reynolds scoring on the fast break.
“That timeout, Coach (Scott Anderson) just said to get the nerves out. It’s exciting, but we’ve got to lock in,” Konzen said.
Loyola led by as many as six in the second frame as it held Malta to just one field goal in the stanza, with Eddie Stack hitting his second 3-pointer of the night and Reynolds connecting on a jumper.
Eggebrecht brought it within five at the break as he was fouled with under a second remaining on a rebound attempt, hitting both at the line to cut it to 25-20 Loyola.
Wilkie and Eggebrecht paced the Mustangs, who made their first state final since winning it all in 2017, with 14 points apiece. Brenden added 10 markers and six assists for Malta, while Oxarart – who returned to the lineup after exiting Friday’s semifinal win with an ankle injury – chipped in nine.
The future appears to be quite bright for the Mustangs (19-7), which retain three starting sophomores in Oxarart, Brenden and Wilkie, as well as freshman Dawson Hammond.
The Rams finished the season with a record of 25-1, powered by the sophomore class of Johnston, Stack and Jack Clevenger, as well as juniors Talen Reynolds and Haffey.
“It’s crazy,” Konzen said. “It means a lot but I know these boys are going to carry it on next year and the year after. This sophomore class is special. This is just the first domino.”
Bigfork captured the girls’ Class B state title with a 49-37 victory over Big Timber, with Braeden Gunlock leading with 22 points.
The Baker girls earned third earlier in the night with a 70-68 victory over Huntley Project, while Bigfork took the consolation title on the boys’ side with a 45-36 triumph against Red Lodge.
Saturday’s State B basketball box scores
Boys
Loyola 12 13 18 22 – 65
Malta 14 6 11 24 – 55
Loyola – Raef Konzen 14, Talen Reynolds 6, Jack Clevenger 1, Ethan Stack 12, Declan Harrington 2, Noah Haffey 8, Reynolds Johnston 22.
Malta – Stockton Oxarart 9, Dawson Hammond 3, Bohdi Brenden 10, Jared Eggebrecht 14, Treyton Wilkie 14, Mason Simanton 2, Eli Hanson 3.
3-pointers – Stack 2, Haffey 2, Johnston 2; Oxarart 2, Hammond, Brenden 2, Eggebrecht, Wilkie 4.
Bigfork 45, Red Lodge 36 (third place)
Red Lodge 11 8 9 8 – 36
Bigfork 18 7 9 11 – 45
Red Lodge – Nick Morean 2, Wyatt Goffena 3, Walker Boos 6, Landen Tomlin 8, Thomas Buchanan 9, Jacob Stewart 4, Calvin Garmann 1, Owen Reynolds 3.
Bigfork – Wyatt Johnson 8, Isak Epperly 14, Eli Thorness 9, Jack Jensen 4, Landon Byerman 7, Bryce Gilliard 3.
3-pointers – Goffena, Boos, Tomlin; Epperly, Byerman, Gilliard.
Red Lodge 67, Wolf Point 57 (loser out)
Wolf Point 4 21 10 22 – 57
Red Lodge 14 14 19 20 – 67
Wolf Point – Kelby Bauer 7, Julian Benson 10, Kraven Silk 20, Cade Stafne 2, Jack Kolstad 5, Michael Bell 2, Gaige Buchman 5, Peyton Summers 4, Lennoxx Lilley 2.
Red Lodge – Nic Morean 3, Walker Boos 11, Landen Tomlin 7, Thomas Buchanan 23, Jacob Stewart 7, Calvin Garmann 11, Owen Reynolds 5.
3-pointers – Bauer, Benson, Silk, Buchman; Boos, Morean, Buchanan 3.
Bigfork 53, Columbus 42 (loser out)
Columbus 16 6 7 13 – 42
Bigfork 10 13 9 21 – 53
Columbus – Mason Meier 21, Mike Courts 3, Cash Kramer 2, Michael Curl 4, Hayden Steffenson 10, Landon Olson 2.
Bigfork – Wyatt Johnson 9, Isak Epperly 12, Eli Thorness 11, Landon Byerman 11, Bryce Gilliard 5, Jack Jensen 5.
3-pointers – Meier 3, Courts; Epperly, Thorness, Gilliard.
Girls
Bigfork 49, Big Timber 37 (championship)
Big Timber 3 5 15 14 – 37
Bigfork 14 10 14 11 – 49
Big Timber – Bailey Finn 12, Kaycee Stene 5, RaeAnna King 2, Emily Prather 2, Kameryn Ketcham 12, Laney Ketcham 4.
Bigfork = Madison Chappius 4, Paeten Gunlock 7, Ava Davey 4, Braeden Gunlock 22, Scout Nadeau 7, Callie Gembala 5.
3-pointers – Finn 3, Stene, K. Ketcham 4; Chappius, Gunlock.
Baker 70, Huntley Project 68 (third place)
Huntley Project 20 15 14 19 – 68
Baker 19 20 14 17 – 70
Huntley Project – Ivy Grimsrud 8, Teagan LaRoche 3, Paige Lofing 32, Lily Zimmer 11, Maddison Akins 14.
Baker – Emily Enos 12, Jocelyn Graham 2, Avery O’Connor 2, Madison O’Connor 24, Harlee Graham 2, Kyal Hadley 16, Hope Gonsioroski 12.
3-pointers – Grimsrud 2, Lofing 3, Zimmer; M. O’Connor 6, J. Graham 4, Gonsioroski.
Huntley Project 54, Columbus 43 (loser out)
Columbus 11 5 7 20 – 43
Huntley Project 9 16 12 17 – 54
Columbus – Paige Lethert 9, Natalie Gairett 4, Katelyn Hamilton 6, Maylee Lowell 2, Aubrey Winter 4, Izzy Gurie 10, Makenna Prather 3, Catey Kimble 5.
Huntley Project – Ivy Grimsrud 11, Teagan LaRoche 4, Paige Lofing 21, Shyanna Harman 1, Lily Zimmer 7, Maddison Akins 8, Hadley Kautz 2.
3-pointers – Lethert, Gairrett, Prather; Grimsrud 3, Zimmer.
Baker 63, Malta 47 (loser out)
Baker 18 17 15 13 – 63
Malta 10 10 18 9 – 47
Baker – Madison O’Connor 21, Eve Uecker 1, Kyal Hadley 13, Kayl Hadley 3, Emily Enos 6, Jocelyn Graham 3, Avery O’Connor 3, Hope Gonsioroski 13.
Malta – Brylee French 1, Addy Anderson 4, Madison Williamson 15, Allison Kunze 9, Denvyr Tuss 8, Elly Anderson 2, Neva Jacobson 8.
3-pointers – M. O’Connor 2, Enos 2, Graham, A. O’Connor; Jacobson 2.
Grady Higgins can be reached at ghiggins@greatfallstribune.com. Photos were provided courtesy of Matt Ehnes of Jared's Detours.
This article originally appeared on Great Falls Tribune: Missoula Loyola boys claim Class B state basketball title over Malta
