Malta falls to Havre, Wolf Point

The M-ettes lost their final home game to the Havre Blue Ponies on Tuesday, December 18. They also fell to Wolf Point on Friday, December 21.

The M-ettes enjoyed a few days off, with the team not holding practices from Saturday, December 22 through Tuesday, December 25. Team practices were set to begin on Wednesday, December 26, but no game is scheduled until Malta's clash with Rocky Boy, a team that made it to State last season. The game is scheduled at Rocky Boy High School on Friday, January 4, 2019. They will then come home for their first home game of the new year against Roundup on Saturday, January 5, 2019.

"You have to keep improving on things you do well," Malta Head Coach Nate Hammond told the PCN. "You don't want your strengths to fade. I think we are also going to have to work on our screens and rebounding. Wolf Point got quite a few offensive rebounds in the first half. We did a much better job in the second. Rebounding in the zone is one of the things we worked on last week and we will continue to do that."

In the M-ettes' loss to Havre, the team was led by Kelbee Denham who had 11 points, three steals and two rebounds. Raina Mortenson had 10 points and a block. Kloie Marks had seven points, nine rebounds, four assists, and one block. Carly Garfield had five points, five rebounds, and two blocks.

Malta was outrebounded by Havre 33-23. Malta had better numbers in defensive rebounding posting 19 to Havre's 16, but Havre had 17 offense boards to Malta's four. Havre had 24 second chance points, while Malta posted four.

Malta only had three players off of the bench, while Havre had seven. Havre's bench players outscored Malta 21-0.

Havre forced Malta to turn the ball over 20 times, which including 15 steals and 16 points off of those turnovers.

Malta stayed with Havre throughout the first half, only falling behind 13-11 in the first quarter, and 24-18 by halftime.

Havre went on a 15-4 run in the third quarter as Marks and Garfield were the lone M-ettes to convert two-point field goals in the period. Havre also outscored Malta 16-11 in the fourth quarter.

In their 55-53 loss to Wolf Point, Malta found themselves down 33-21 to the Lady Wolves at half time, but the team fought back valiantly, falling within a point of their opponent.

"That is something that we are really proud of," Coach Hammond said. "We fight back pretty well. We just get in a little bit too big of a hole."

The team nearly scored on a layup to give them a lead late in the fourth, but then was called for travelling on the shot. Then a player made it to the free throw line for two shots, but no dice. Eventually Wolf Point was able to hold on to win.

Kyleigh Schipman led the M-ettes with 14 points, including two treys and 10 points in the fourth quarter. Marks had 13 points in the win. Carly Garfield had 11 points, Erica Smith had 11 points and Denham had four points.