The Bozeman Boys and Girls basketball teams are in full swing, both currently sitting with impressive records as State edges closer. The AA Eastern Conference has proved to be the best in the State on the boy’s side, but the East and West continue to hang close in the girls standings.

Heading into the 2009-2010 season, many questions arose regarding the Lady Hawks chances this year. With sophomore and returning starter Lexi Dawkins out with an injury to begin the year, other players were asked to step up. The varsity team consists of only two seniors, but many underclassmen have made significant contributions to the Hawks 15-1 season.

In the backcourt, Jenna Banks, Shanae Gilham, and Kellie Cole have paced the team. Cole is Class AA’s second leading scorer with 17.6 points per game, and Gilham is number six in the state. Banks and Cole are both among the top ten assist leaders in Montana, each dishing out about three per game. Guards Lindsey Manning and Mikaela McCloud have both stepped into big varsity roles, and have proved to be crucial parts of the Hawks success with their three point shooting. Down in the post, junior Taylor Parker and sophomore Lexi Dawkins are making significant contributions through rebounding, defense, and scoring in the paint. Standing atop the East with a solid 8-0 record in conference play, the Lady Hawks have soared above many people’s expectations and have quickly become a favorite to contend for the State title in March.
On the boy’s side, what started as an undefeated season and looked to be a smooth ride into the State playoffs, has quickly turned out to be much tougher than expected. The Hawks sped off to a 7-0 start, beating tough Western Conference teams such as Capital and Helena twice.

Once conference play began, it was a wake up call to players that every team in the East is capable of winning games, and that no team was going to fall without a fight. The Hawks hit a rough spot in the season after losing back to back games in conference, including an embarrassing loss to CMR by over 35 points. Since then, the team has bounced back into form, noticeably playing better together and controlling the tempo of the game. Junior Tanner Roderick and senior Jake Owsley lead the Hawks in scoring, with Roderick averaging 14.3 points per game, and Owsley netting an impressive stat line of 13.2 points, 10.6 rebounds (second in Montana), and 2.86 blocks. One of the most impressive parts of the Hawks arsenal is their ability to shoot threes. Trevor O’Brien, Ty Roderick, and Ryan Vanderpan all rank in the top sixteen in the State for three point field goal percentage. Brandon Rydberg is shooting 54.8% from the field, placing him second in Class AA as of February 16th.

There’s no doubt that the Hawks can shoot the ball, through 16 games they are averaging 66.1 points per contest which ranks second in the AA. Although the Hawks were aiming for an undefeated season, and 5-3 conference record isn’t what they had hoped for at this point in the year, the boys (13-3 overall) continue to play strong; everyday working towards their main goal of hosting a playoff game and making it to the State tournament in Billings.
As the regular season winds down and AA teams are fighting for a home playoff game or a bye, we need all the fan support we can receive here in Bozeman. I am a forward for the Hawks, and I can tell you that playing on your home floor with a huge student section has a definite impact on the game. I encourage everyone to come out and support both Hawk basketball teams for the remainder of the year, and we won’t let you down!