B-Hoop: Trojans survive slow start to earn victory over Prospectors

PHILIPSBURG - It was everything that a game against your rival should be, highlighted by surprising twists, multiple lead changes and hard fought play.

Despite the Prospectors leading through halftime, the Trojans rallied in the third on both ends of the floor to secure a 62-44 victory that still leaves them within reach of the District 13C title.

Granite opened the game with a 5-0 run before Drummond found its way on the scoreboard. The two squads played tight, finishing the first period just a point apart with the hosts on top 17-16. The second period was lower in scoring, but the Prospectors extended their lead to four at intermission, 26-22.

I don’t know what’s been going on,” said DHS Head Coach Levi Parsons. “This has been going on all year. We are putting in an incredible amount of work to be able to come out and be hungry and start the game strong and play four quarters. But we come out and it’s like we have lead in our shoes. Nobody wants to move; everybody stands around and moral goes right down the toilet. It’s a struggle.”

Concerns were high for Drummond fans as the third period is typically where the Trojans falter in their concentration, but the entire second half proved otherwise. The visitors used a 17-3 run in the third and a 23-15 one in the fourth to secure the ‘W’.

“”It just seems like we keep getting into foul trouble,” reflected GHS Head Coach Mindy Avilla after the loss. “We’ve got five strong players and an inexperienced bench, so it’s something we have to deal with. We just have to figure it out.

“Hopefully tomorrow we can get a ‘W’.

Colt Parsons led all scorers in the game 22, collecting nine of them in Drummond’s third-quarter surge. Trey Phillips finished with 16 (eight in the fourth) and Scott Parke added 12. Phillips and Parke each had 14 rebounds with Parsons adding nine.

Andrew Tallon led the Prospectors with 15 while Cavan Babbitt - freshly released to play without a cast on the hand he injured during December - added 13 points, nine of which came in the fourth, and nine rebounds.

While the Prospectors will take any win they can get, Drummond would really appreciate some help come Tuesday. Granite hosts Seeley Swan Saturday and then travel to Darby Tuesday.

Darby lost to Seeley 54-53, creating a tie atop the District 13C standings at 8-2. The Tigers hold the tiebreaker, but a loss to Granite in their final game Tuesday would give the Trojans the title and a first-round bye in the district tournament starting Feb. 16 in Hamilton.

It would also push Darby into the same bracket with the Blackhawks, forcing them to play through each other with only victor advancing in the bracket.

“This could happen,” said Parsons of the Granite squad. “This is a good bunch of players (for Granite). Andrew (Tallon) is a tough guard for everybody. He’s a freakish athlete. That (Cavan) Babbitt kid is a freakish athlete the way he gets to the hoop. Them winning is a possibility.”

The Trojans will host Victor in their final District 13C game Saturday.

SCORING

Drummond - 16/6/17/23 - 62

Granite - 17/9/3/15 - 44

Drummond - Rasor 2, Parke 12, Parsons 22, Bradshaw 4, Graveley 6, Phillips 16

Granite - Pitcher 2, Tallon 15, Babbitt 13, mWhite 7, Dauenhauer 7