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Mustangs win 2B Crown; to face Conrad at Northern B in Cut Bank

Last weekend, the Malta Mustangs basketball team won the District 2B Title, to go with their regular season Conference Title.

The Mustangs outlasted the Wolf Point Wolves last Friday in Wolf Point 61-54 in the 2B semifinals, and then defeated Glasgow 48-38 in the championship game.

The Mustangs will face the Conrad Cowboys in the opening round of the Northern B Divisional scheduled to begin in Cut Bank on Thursday, March 5. The Cowboys were the fourth seed in the 1B District after losing their consolation finals game against Rocky Boy 58-52

Malta was led in the 2B championship game by senior Kooper Oxarart who had 20 points. Oxarart knocked down three treys in the win. The PCN caught up to Oxarart one night prior, after the Mustangs punched their ticket to the Northern B.

"I'm pretty excited," Oxarart said. "The last couple of years have not been too good for us and I'm just excited to have a winning season. We are going to go and kick some butt."

Tuss had 10 points in Malta's championship win. Pierce Mortenson had seven points. Rex Williamson, Jared Eggebrecht, and Darrow Messerly each had three points.

Malta outscored Glasgow in each quarter of the game; 9-6 in the first, 14-11 in the second, 7-6 in the third, and 18-15 in the fourth quarter.

In their semifinal win over Wolf Point, the Mustangs found themselves in a battle late in the game.

Oxarart led Malta with 21 points. Williamson had 15 points, Mortenson had 11 points, Tuss had six points, Eggebrecht had five points, and Kaden Bishop had three points.

"We didn't play very well at the start, but in the second half, we stepped up and made some big plays on defense and we were patient on offense as well," Oxarart said. "Altogether we played very well as a team."

Malta had maintained a lead in their game against the Wolves until the 5:24 mark in the second quarter, when Wolf Point tied the game. Malta had foul trouble throughout the first half and eventually had to sit starters, forcing the team to rely on their bench including Bishop, Seth Siewing, and Jon Siewing who kept pace with Wolf Point, not giving up Malta's lead. The score at halftime was 33-33.

The Wolves earned their first lead of the game with 6:27 left in the third quarter, as Wolf Point went up 35-33, despite a heroic effort by Mortenson, who forced three straight turnovers in his return to the game. Mortenson scored the next four points for Malta, and a third steal.

"I was just thinking, 'don't foul' but when you work hard, everything goes (well) for you," Mortenson said. "If you put out high effort you're going to get something done. So I came out after halftime thinking, if I put some work in, I'll get something."

Malta had a 39-33 lead in the middle of the third period, but the Wolves eventually had a four point swing.

The teams traded buckets and the lead throughout the quarter but eventually, Malta fell behind by five, prior to Oxarart hitting a three-point buzzer beater at the end of the third, cutting Wolf Points lead to two points. The score going into the fourth quarter was 46-44.

Oxarart opened the fourth quarter with another trey to give Malta a 47-46 lead to open the fourth quarter.

Malta found themselves down 52-49 with 3:06 left in the game. Oxarart was fouled and made two free throws at that time, closing the gap to 52-51. The Wolves immediately turned the ball over and Williamson scored a layup on the possession putting Malta up 53-52.

Tuss added another score with 2:00 left on the clock. 55-52. Williamson, who had four fouls, scored the next two buckets, putting Malta up 59-52.

"I was kind of mad from (questionable calls)," Williamson said when I asked about his aggressive offense at the end of the game.

Pierce Mortenson ended the game with a heads up, put back bucket on a missed free throw by Williamson.

 

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