An open challenge

An open challenge from the Blue Hawks to the other Western B teams is on – bring your best game, let's play some ball and see who comes out on top in the end.

Playing aggressive hoops on both ends Saturday as part of that ongoing open challenge, the Thompson Falls Blue Hawk boys knocked off the visiting Anaconda Copperheads 60-50 at TFHS. The Hawks warmed up for their big date with Copperheads by steamrolling Troy 59-26, also in Thompson Falls Friday.

Accepting challenges from the best teams Western B has to offer this season all along the way, the Hawks improved to 8-1 with the win and checked in as the No. 9 team in the latest 406mtsports.com Montana Class B power poll.

Hoping to improve their position in the poll and prove they belong among the elite B teams, coach Jake Mickelson and company face Loyola in Missoula Thursday and then make the long trek north to take on the District 7B Lions in Eureka Saturday.

Mickelson was more than happy to talk about how the Hawks played last week, and what he sees ahead. Thompson Falls has been hampered by a few COVID-19-created absences over the past few weeks but were playing with their full deck of players last week.

"It was nice to have the whole crew back and they played really focused basketball against Anaconda," he said. "I thought we defended well on that end and were aggressive against their zone defense on offense."

Turning in his best effort of the season, Dante Micheli led the Hawks to the win with a triple double, scoring 18 points, clearing 11 rebounds and passing out 11 assists, besides coming up with a team-best four steals and blocking a shot.

Kade Pardee contributed yet another double double to his long list of double doubles this season with 11 points and 16 rebounds, in addition to dishing out three assists and blocking another Anaconda shot attempt.

Nathan Schraeder scored 17 points and two steals, Justin Morgan added five points, Cody Burk four, Tristan Subatch three and Roman Sparks two.

Eli Saltenberger scored 15 points for the Copperheads and Bredon Sawyer 12.

Everyone played and everyone scored for the Hawks in the easy win over Troy Friday.

Micheli led Falls scoring with 12 points, Schraeder added 11, Pardee and Morgan eight each, Burk six, Subatch and Jesse Claridge four apiece, and Sparks, Ben Cooper and Breck Ferris two each.

Now that the Hawks have caught the attention of many observers with their recent exploits, Mickelson wants his boys to keep pushing to be their best, staring with this week's games against Loyola and Eureka.

"We know it is going to be a dogfight every night in this league and our guys are ready," he said. "We are going to keep on scrapping and see what that gets us, we look forward to the rest of it."