The Snake Pit beckons
Hawk boys play at Anaconda Saturday
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January 25, 2018
RYLAN RISING - Noxon sophomore Ryla Weltz gets a shot off through the defense of Thompson Falls' Michael Johnson and Danny Hoisington in Thompson Falls Thursday. See follwoing pages for coverage of Sanders County basketball last week.
Welcome to the Snake Pit, and have fun trying to battle your way out.
The Thompson Falls boys basketball team faces one of its most severe tests of the season Saturday when coach Jake Mickelson and company travel to Anaconda to take on the Copperheads in a Western B tilt, in what locals affectionately refer to as the "Snake Pit," Anaconda's own famous home of basketball horrors at Anaconda High School.
A native of nearby Philipsburg, Mickelson knows the confines of the Snake Pit quite well, and expects a tough game from the 'Heads, who finished second in the State B tournament last year with many of the same players they have on their roster now.
"I have played there a lot over the years and it is a tough place to play," Mickelson said. "We are looking forward to it though, it should be a good road test for us in a hostile environment."
Prepping for their visit to the Snake Pit, the Hawks played a pair of non-conference home games last week, getting the best of Clark Fork 60-41 Tuesday and knocking off Noxon 73-44 Thursday.
The Hawks played without high-scoring Danny Hoisington against Clark Fork, resting his ankle injury, but still had more than enough to get past the visiting Mountain Cats.
Nate Thibeault turned in a monstrous double-double to lead the Hawks, scoring 19 points and pulling down 18 rebounds, Payton Frields added 17 points on six of 10 shooting from the field, and Grant Lundberg scored eight points, pulled down four rebounds and passed out two assists.
Dylan Beckman chipped in with six points and six assists, Ryan Schraeder scored four points, Michael Johnson three, Kade Pardee two and Alex Erosa one. Erosa was also good for four assists and four rebounds.
Bryan Mask and Carson Collison scored 15 points each for Clark Fork.
Hoisington returned to action Thursday and led the Hawks past Noxon with 24 points, Beckman buried four 3-pointers and finished with 18, Thibeault and Frields added nine points each, Johnson six, Lundberg three and Schraeder two.
Please see other story for Noxon scoring.
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