2023 Northeastern Montana Middle School Champions

The Malta Middle School seventh-grade and eighth-grade girls' basketball teams won matching titles at the 2023 Northeastern Montana Middle School Tournament in Malta on Saturday, December 9.

The 7th Grade team ended their year 15-0, and the 8th Grade team was 14-1. Both teams faced their Harlem counterparts in the championship games. The 8th Grade won 30-28 and the 7th Grade won 30-29.

The PCN caught up with the coaches of the team including Coach Ryan Lankford and Coach KayDel Stiles, who filled in for Coach KatySue Anderson during the tournament.

Coach Lankford was asked about the 8th-grade team's run in which they were nearly undefeated.

"The key to our season is that we have been concentrating on defense and defensive rebounding," Coach Lankford said. "That has been our concentration all season and I think that it paid off here. We were able to stop them and come back."

He gave kudos to the Harlem teams that have been Malta's toughest opponents.

"The Harlem group, their coaches have been outstanding," he said.

He was asked if anyone had really stood out during the tourney.

"I think that all of our eighth graders showed up in a way that they haven't before," Coach Lankford said. "I am proud of their mental ability to go through the lows and come back. We have been capitalizing on our runs and their mental ability to come back is what I was amazed by today."

He was asked what advice he would give his eighth-grade group, many of whom have started practicing with the High School Malta M-ettes.

"My advice to the eighth graders going up is about keeping their heads," Coaching Lankford said.

He also said that the more play time and practice that they get will benefit them for the next few years.

Coach Stiles was asked what the key to the 7th-grade team's run was.

"Defense was absolutely the key to our game," she said. "We had good help defense."

She gave a shout-out to Miracle Love, who was the team's primary ball-handler.

"She can bring the ball down and score for us," Stiles said. "The other girls were ready for rebounds, defense and they know their role."

Love was in early foul trouble and only played a few minutes in the first half, but Stiles commended the team for staying in.

"She came back in for a few minutes and left because she wasn't feeling very good," Coach Stiles said. "The other girls stepped up... The key was playing together. Defense won us the ball–game."

Coach Stiles is no stranger to the 7th-grade team because she had coached them from 2nd Grade.

"They have won every single tournament that they have entered," Coach Stiles said. "I am not sure how many games that they have won, but I can count their losses on one hand since second grade."