Turnovers plague Vals in loss against Plains

The Bigfork High girls basketball team played well enough in the first half Saturday against Plains, but the Trotters came back to win 46-44.

Turnovers and missed free throws hurt the Valkyries. Bigfork committed 28 turnovers to only 14 for Plains. The Vals converted only five of 14 free throws compared to nine of 14 for the Trotters.

Bigfork led 23-13 at half, and the Trotters implemented a full-court press in the third period that resulted in turnovers.

Plains won the third frame 16-12 to pull within six at 35-29.

The Trotters took their first lead of the game with 3:43 remaining at 41-40.

Bigfork committed four turnovers in a row down the stretch. Plains didn’t always capitalize, however, and led 42-40 with 2:01 left.

The Valkryies’ fourth consecutive turnover came off an inbounds pass that Plains turned into a fast-break layup to make it 44-40.

The Vals tried to counter. Madison McAnally scored a layup off a long inbounds pass and was fouled. The sophomore guard missed the free throw and it was 44-42, Plains.

After stopping the Trotters on their next possession, Bigfork evened the score at 44-all on a basket by Lana Berg.

Plains’ Kimberley Earhart then missed two free throws with 30 seconds remaining, but Bigfork lost the ball out of bounds on its next possession.

Earhart made a layup with 10 seconds left to to make it 46-44.

Bigfork had one last shot with a second and a half left, but Berg’s shot from the paint was no good.

Bigfork was led in scoring by Berg’s 13 points. Josie Spoklie added 11 markers, including three 3-pointers. Tessa Robertson chipped in with eight points.

Plains had three players score in double figures: Hailey Phillips, 14; Leah Thompson, 12 and Earhart, 10.

Bigfork coach Mark Hansen said Plains became more aggressive in the second half. “We became more passive with our press breaker and they took the momentum from us,” he said.

“We let Earhart get open in the corner.” She scored all 10 of her points in the final frame, including back-to-back 3-pointers.

Down Lady Lions

Bigfork (3-1) won at Eureka Thursday 52-34.

Robertson scored a career high 30 points and pulled down eight rebounds. She was 11 of 17 from the field and eight of 10 from the charity stripe.

Hansen said Eureka doesn’t have much size so Bigfork just kept feeding Robertson the ball down low. “She was really aggressive,” he said.

The Vals’ next game is Jan. 2 at Whitefish.