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When you are missing a few players, with a couple of them being starters, you need the others on the roster to step up when given the opportunity.

With several of those "other" players turning in big-time efforts, the Thompson Falls boys basketball team played very competitively last week, dumping Troy 54-46 Friday to clinch second place in final District 7B standings, and playing well enough to win but being bumped off 60-59 by Anaconda Saturday. Both of those games were played in Thompson Falls.

This week, the Hawks travel to Missoula to play Loyola Thursday and then hit the road again Friday to visit Eureka.

Coach Jake Mickelson was pleased to see how his team competed, even with a few of the Hawks' best players suspended. Those players will not return to active duty until the week after this.

"We needed some kids to step up and boy did they," he said. "I feel like those were two of the most complete games we played this season last week."

About a minute into the fourth quarter against Troy, with the Hawks clinging to a 39-38 lead, Ethan Brown scored to up the lead to three. A few possessions later, Trey Fisher assisted Brown for another two-pointer. Fisher then went on to key the game-sealing run for the Hawks.

After grabbing an offensive rebound, drawing a foul and hitting one of two free throws, Fisher then scored again after Nathan Schraeder pilfered a steal and passed off to Fisher for two points to make it 46-42 Hawks with 3:43 remaining.

Fisher pretty much ended Troy's hopes of victory on the Hawks' next possession with a key 3-pointer from the right side wing to make the score 49-42. Another assist from Schraeder to Brian Henry for two points gave the Hawks a 51-42 lead and they went on to win from there.

Brown and Nate Wilhite scored 12 points apiece to lead the Hawks' win, Fisher finished with 11, Ryan Schraeder 10, Henry six, Nathan Schraeder two and Justin Morgan one.

John Hamilton

BLUE HAWK SENIOR Brian Henry goes up for a key score during the second half of Thompson Falls' 54-46 win over Troy at TFHS Friday. Hawks travel to Missoula for a game with Loyola Thursday and visit Eureka Friday this week.

Wilhite collected nine rebounds, Ryan Schraeder five and Fisher four, the Schraeder brothers each dished out three assists, with Ryan adding four steals and Nathan two, Wilhite added three steals and Fisher and Riley Riffle two apiece.

Trevor Hoagland scored 16 points and Motley Begalle 12 for Troy.

The game with Anaconda appeared to be heading Thompson Falls' way in similar fashion but cold free throw shooting ultimately derailed the Hawks. Thompson Falls connected on only four of 10 free throws in the fourth quarter and only eight of 22 for the game.

Nathan Schraeder scored a career-high 18 points and snared 10 rebounds to lead the Hawks, brother Ryan added 15 points, four assists and four steals, Wilhite 14 points, five rebounds, five steals and three assists, Brown eight points and three steals, and Fisher four points and two steals.

Eli Saltenberger hooped 17 points for Anaconda and Michael Galle 15.