Scrappy Heat fight every night

The Hot Springs boys basketball team knows it is going to be a fight out there every night, and they are okay with that.

"We are not very big and pretty inexperienced but these kids won't back off from anyone," Hot Springs coach Scott Fredrickson said. "We know we are going to have to scrap hard every game and we are up for that."

The Savage Heat scrapped out a split last week, taking down Two Eagle River 63-54 in Pablo Thursday but falling at home to Seeley-Swan Friday.

Fredrickson was impressed with Two Eagle and expects them to get better yet soon. "We played well but Two Eagle stayed right with us," he said. "I understand they have a transfer from Ronan becoming eligible soon and that will make them even better."

One of the leading scorers in western Montana so far this season, senior Brandon Knudsen led Hot Springs to the win in Pablo with 30 points, Jack McAllister and Kyle Lawson added 13 each, Nathan Lawhead five and Benedict Waterbury one.

Anthony Charlo led Two Eagle with 18 points and Michael Brown scored 15.

Things did not go as well for Hot Springs against Seeley the next night as the talented Owen Mercado led the Black Hawks to the decisive win.

"It's chicken one day and feathers the next," Fredrickson joked. "We weren't prepared for Seeley and they took it to us. That one is on me for not being better prepared."

Prepared or not, the mercurical Mercado was one tough Black Hawk to stop Friday night.

"He really impressed me, he has a complete game," Fredrickson said, "and their coach told me that was the best his team has shot the ball all season."

Individual and game scoring was not available from the Seeley-Swan game.