Big Sky’s varsity boys lost 55-56 in a nail-biter against the Helena High Bengals.
Both teams battled until the last buzzer, with the Bengals having a 14-point lead near halftime and the Eagles catching up, but still not able to pull off the win.
The Bengals started off with a 3-point lead, and built up to a 6-point lead by the end of the first quarter.
The Eagles began to push back, making five free throws and two jumpshots in the second quarter, but the Bengals continued to push further on their existing lead, going up by 14 by the end of the first half.
Eli Kasberg, power forward for Big Sky, said he felt the Eagles struggled in the first half, but played well in the second.
“We weren’t doing hot at the start, then had a good game after halftime,” Kasberg said.
Starting off the third quarter, the Eagles started to soar again, guarding multiple shots from the Bengals and making some great shots of their own. However, the Bengals didn’t falter, making three free throws and a good jumpshot to lessen Big Sky’s lead. By the end of the third, the Eagles were leading by 4 points and the student section was going wild.
Starting off the fourth quarter, both teams were determined to take the lead from one another. The Bengals started with another good shot and two free throws, evening out the score before the Eagles blocked another of their shots. Both teams climbed up in points, but the Bengals gained a 4-point lead in the last minute. Kasberg made a 3-pointer to close the gap, but the Eagles couldn’t pull ahead before the end of the game.
Jack Young, assistant principal at Big Sky High School, says he believes the Eagles basketball program is doing great, whether it be boys, girls, or varsity.
“Last week, we had a tough game against Helena High, down by 14 and battling our way back and falling short at the end,” Young said. Regardless, he’s optimistic about the rest of the season.
“I think our depth is the deepest we’ve been in terms of quality of players since I’ve been here, and Coach Murphy is doing well with the players he has and seeing who works best together on the court,” Young explained. “It may take a little bit of time, but I’m confident that we are going to take both teams to Billings and make state.”
Young also mentioned that this year is different from most when it comes to the Eagles’ wins and losses.
“Normally, we start off strong and taper off, but this year I feel we’re going to start off lower and move upward as the season progresses.”
The Eagles play the Braves tonight at Flathead. They are 3 and 4 for the 2025-26 season.
