Comeback bid stalls as Blue Hawks top 'Heads

Saturday was a full day of basketball at the Snake Pit as the Copperhead boys also had their home opener of the season, hosting Thompson Falls in a game that was a defensive thriller most of the way as Anaconda kept it close most of the way but ultimately fell to the Blue Hawks, 64-50. 

The home team held the lead early on, started off by Brody Galle with a dribble-drive into the lane that went for the first basket of the night – one that the Blue Hawks answered. Galle gave the 'Heads back the lead with a free throw, but the visitors took it back with two from the line of their own. 

The early back-and-forth continued as Treyton Patrick hit a trey from the baseline off a drive-and-dish from Galle, and Travis Dye made it 8-4 Copperheads with a drive of his own. T-Falls then sank a three, which Galle answered with one of his own, and Shane Schalk hit the offensive glass for a put-back to make it a six-point lead for Anaconda. The Blue Hawks scored one more two though to end the first quarter with the scoreboard at 13-9 in favor of the home team. 

Galle repeated his opener from the first quarter with two points in the pain to start the second, and Jesse Jones matched a two-pointer from T-Falls with two of his own at the free-throw line to bring the lead back up to six. 

That, unfortunately for the 'Heads, would be the high point of the game as the Blue Hawks went on a 7-0 run to take back the lead. A free throw from Schalk tied the game at 18, but a three-point play for the visitors put them back on top again. Ryder Anderson got back two of those on a drive off a fake, and Schalk got two more down low to give Anaconda what would be their final lead of the quarter and of the night as T-Falls nailed two straight threes to end the half up 27-22. 

The 'Heads weren't through yet, however, even as the Blue Hawks continued their scoring run to open the third quarter with a basket to go up by seven. Schalk answered with a bucket of his own off a dish from Galle, but T-Falls hit two more triples as their lead stood at 11. Galle got it back to within single digits on a put-back on the offensive boards, but the Blue Hawks hit another three then stole the inbounds pass and added two more to go up by 14.

That could have been it, but Schalk down low and Galle on another drive into the paint, plus another free throw from Schalk, kept things reasonable at 43-31 – which was just in time for Galle to go off, scoring seven straight, including an and-1 off a drive and a spin-drive into the paint to get the 'Heads to within five. T-Falls then hit another three, but promptly fouled Anderson on a three-point attempt of his own. The freshman sank two out of the three attempts and Anaconda was right there with the score now 46-40 with one quarter left to play. 

And it got even closer yet as Jones drained a baseline three at the start of the fourth quarter to put the 'Heads to within a single possession. The Blue Hawks however answered with a triple of their own, though Jones got two of those back with a driving shot he put up and sank off the glass to cut their deficit to four points. 

That would be the closest it would get the rest of the way, though, as T-Falls went on a 10-2 run interrupted only by a pair of free throws from Dye as the visitors now led by 12. Dye cut it to 10 with a basket off the offensive glass, and chipped in another point later at the free-throw line, but with a three and a two from the Blue Hawks it was all over as Thompson Falls left Anaconda with the win, 64-50. 

Brody Galle was the leading scorer for the Copperheads with 19 points. Shane Schalk also was in double-digits with 10 points, followed by Jesse Jones and Travis Dye with 7 points apiece, Ryder Anderson had 4 and Treyton Patrick 3. 

The Copperheads are off for the rest of 2024, but will be back in action on Friday, Jan. 3, 2025 as the boys will travel to Class A Stevensville. Tip-off for varsity is at 7:15. The boys will remain on the road as they'll take on the Falcons in Florence on Jan. 4, with that game set to start at 4:30 p.m.

The next home game for the 'Heads will be on Tuesday, Jan. 7 as they'll host their neighbors from the Flint Creek Valley. Tip-off for varsity against Granite County will be at 7:30 p.m.