Scrappy Heat girls top Eagles, fall to Mission Bulldogs

Hot Springs Lady Savage Heat coach Richard Jackson likes to say his young team is a scrappy one that will only get better with time.

Proving their coach to be correct in his scrappiness assessment, the Savage Heat girls battled past Valley Christian 50-27 in Missoula Thursday and then fought to the finish before dropping a 54-53 decision to Mission in Mission Friday.

Both games last week were non-conference encounters. The Heat return to action at Noxon Jan. 5 and will host Plains Jan. 6 in a pair of important conference games to kick off the 2018 calendar year.

Against Valley Christian last week, the Heat took control early, building a 13-2 led after one quarter and extending that advantage to 28-6 by halftime.

McKennzie Cannon scored 14 points to lead Hot Springs to the win, Sage Jackson scored 10, Stacy Gray eight, Lizzy Fisher seven, Sydney Jackson four, Brianna Gray three, and Lexi DeTienne and Danielle Graham two apiece.

Kaytlin Kelly bucketed 15 points to lead Valley Christian and Mackenzie Dierking scored six more for the Lady Eagles.

The Heat very nearly pulled out the win in Mission Friday, but the Lady Bulldogs just managed to hold on.

Cannon went off for a game-high 22 points to lead the Heat, Stacy Gray chipped in with 12, Sydney and Sage Jackson scored seven each, DeTienne three and Brianna Gray two.

Karolyna Buck put down 16 points to lead Mission and Afton Brander added 14.