Mustang's offense heating up at right time; team to face Rocky Boy, Roundup

The Malta Mustangs looked mighty sharp last Thursday as they took down District 2B foe Poplar in Malta. The score of the game was 77-45. They went on to defeat Wolf Point on Saturday night in Wolf Point. The team will face Rocky Boy on Friday night in Malta. The game is set to start at 6 p.m. They will then travel to Roundup to take on the Panthers who defeated them earlier this year. The game is set to start at 5:30 p.m.

Early in the first quarter, both teams seemed poised to give the crowd at the Malta High gym, quite the show but eventually Malta ran away, outscoring Poplar 18-9.

Malta's defense would remain dominant in the second quarter contesting Poplar's offense every play, holding the Indians to eight points, while scoring 15. The halftime score was 33-17.

Malta's offense was led by Nate Costin who scored 23 points. He led an explosive 28 point effort in the third quarter by scoring 14 points.

Tyson Carney and Allen Williamson scored 13 points apiece. Hunter Love had 11 points. Jace Bishop had seven points. Ostin Welch and Taylor Matthews scored four points apiece. Devon Raybon had two points.

Malta only gave up 10 points in the third, making the end of quarter score, 61-27.

Hunter Love led the fourth quarter charge, scoring five of 16 points that the Mustangs scored in the fourth.

"I just shot and didn't over think it," Love said noting that he is feeling pretty confident with the district tournament coming up. "I'm shooting the ball a lot better and not turning the ball over."

Malta was outscored in the fourth 18-16, but the damage was done as Malta held on to win.

"Tough defense and intensity was the key to our win," Costin said. "We took pretty good shots tonight and worked the ball."

The Mustangs did a magnificent job slowing down Poplar's perimeter shooting throughout the first three quarters allowing only two treys.

"We ran out there with a hand out," Love said.

Costin added to the statement, "If you get them off the roll a little bit and they miss a few, you've got them the rest of the game," he said.

Costin and Carney knocked down three treys apiece. At the right time of the season, the team's offense is heating up.

"There's a lot of guys that stick around after (practice) to get some shots up," Costin said. "That helps a lot. We've added patience to our offense, so we can get good looks, better opportunities and better field percentages."

Going into the game, Poplar was in second place in 2B basketball. Knowing that didn't affect Malta's game or plan.

"We usually just go out and play not worrying about anything like that too much," Costin said.

Before the team took on Wolf Point, they knew what had to happen to pick up another win.

"The same thing," Costin said. "We need to play defense, have patience on our offense, get good looks and we will be alright."

In the Mustangs' 67-37 win over the Wolf Point Wolves, Malta was led by Williamson who had 25 points. Costin had 14 points. Carney had 10 points. Welch had six points. Raybon had five points. Love had four points. Cru Darrah had three points.

Malta outscored Wolf Point in every quarter of the game. The quarter totals were 15-9 at the end of the first, 28-17 at halftime, 51-27 at the end of the third, and the final score was 67-37.