By Danny Waldo
Close. If one word could sum up the Bozeman Hawk boys basketball team over the past two seasons, that would be it.
After finishing runner-up at the State AA basketball tournament in both 2016 and 2017, head coach Wes Holmquist and Co. are hoping that a third trip to the state finals could finally be the end of their misery.
However, the road to the state tournament will be taking a major turn this season as Class AA basketball returns to a divisional format for the first time in over 25 years. For over the past two decades, the top two seeds in the Western and Eastern Conferences were awarded an automatic berth to the state tournament, while the remaining teams were left to fight for the final spots in a series of one-game playoffs. Not so this season. All seven teams in each conference will be invited to the divisional tournaments March 1-3 (In Butte for Eastern AA), with the top four teams in each divisional advancing to state the following week, March 8-10 in Billings.
It’s a change that Holmquist is excited about. “I love the divisional tournament format. I have been on the battle lines pushing for it since I started coaching in the AA in 2003. I think it is going to be exciting and a great atmosphere.”
If Bozeman is going to survive the pressure of an additional tournament in hopes of returning to state, they will be doing so with an entirely new roster, as senior Mack Anderson is the lone player with any sort of valuable experience. Anderson was relegated to role player status last season after beginning the year as a starter, and averaged around two points per game. However, a successful offseason on the AAU circuit parlayed itself into a full-ride scholarship to the University of Montana, and has made Anderson the focal point of Bozeman’s attack this season.
The 6’9” senior will anchor the middle of a Hawk defense that is both long and athletic. Bozeman will also employ the forces of 6’6” Jack Carr, and a pair of 6’5” juniors in Ryan Simpson and Ryan Lonergan to keep opposing offenses at bay.
A trio of senior guards in Robbie Simpson, Latrell McCutcheon and Payton Price will serve as the primary ball-handlers, but Bozeman will hope to use its defense to spark its offense via transition baskets.
Bozeman, which finished 19-4 a year ago and claimed their second straight Eastern Conference championship, begins the season at home, taking on non-conference foe Helena Capital, Tuesday, December 5 at 7:00 p.m. at Bozeman High’s South Gym.
For a complete schedule of all Bozeman Hawk boys’ basketball games, log on to the Bozeman School District website at www.bsd7.org and ‘click’ on the activities page.
Danny Waldo is a local freelance writer covering Bozeman Hawk and Montana State Bobcat athletics.
