Overtime Class B games lead to changes in 406mtsports.com boys basketball rankings

BILLINGS — Every spot but No. 1 changed in the 406mtsports.com Class B boys basketball rankings, and No. 1 was a play or two away from losing.

Top-ranked Lodge Grass beat then-No. 5 Fairfield 85-84 in triple overtime on Saturday in a matchup of defending State B co-champions. Despite the loss, the Eagles moved up two spots.

The only Class B team to earn an on-court win over Lodge Grass this season was then-No. 2 Huntley Project, which suffered its second straight OT loss last week. The Red Devils fell 55-53 to Colstrip on Tuesday, almost a month after they beat the Colts 52-50 in OT.

Two days after their win over Project, the Colts lost to unranked Lame Deer 71-62 in OT, but they still entered the rankings at No. 10. Colstrip lost its season opener 66-42 to Lodge Grass, but the Indians later forfeited that game because two of their players were academically ineligible. The Colts fell to Lodge Grass 64-58 on Jan. 28.

Project dropped to No. 4, and Shelby moved up two spots to No. 2.

Class B No. 7 Florence-Carlton will host No. 8 Deer Lodge on Friday. The winner will be the Western 6B champion.

In Class A, Lewistown fell from No. 4 to out of the rankings because of its 59-49 loss to Havre on Saturday. It was the Golden Eagles’ second defeat to the unranked Blue Ponies (8-4) this season.

Ronan moved into the Class A rankings at No. 5.

The top eight spots in the Class C rankings didn’t change, but a shakeup was close — No. 1 Scobey edged No. 4 Froid-Lake 49-47 in overtime on Tuesday.

Class C No. 8 Fort Benton beat then-No. 9 Chinook for the second time this season, 64-61 on Saturday. As a result, the Sugarbeeters are now unranked, and Melstone moved in at No. 10.

Class AA

1. Missoula Sentinel (10-0)

2. Great Falls (8-1)

3. Missoula Hellgate (8-2)

4. Billings Skyview (8-2)

5. Bozeman (8-2)

Class A

1. Dillon (12-0)

2. Polson (11-1)

3. Laurel (9-2)

4. Billings Central (10-2) (+1)

5. Ronan (9-3) (Previously unranked)

Class B

1. Lodge Grass (11-3)

2. Shelby (12-2) (+2)

3. Fairfield (10-5) (+2)

4. Huntley Project (10-4) (-2)

5. Manhattan (11-2) (-2)

6. Red Lodge (10-2) (+1)

7. Florence-Carlton (8-3) (+1)

8. Deer Lodge (9-2) (+1)

9. Bigfork (10-2) (+1)

10. Colstrip (11-3) (Previously unranked)

Class C

1. Scobey (17-0)

2. Manhattan Christian (17-0)

3. Belt (14-1)

4. Froid-Lake (15-2)

5. Valley Christian (16-1)

6. Twin Bridges (13-1)

7. Bridger (14-0)

8. Fort Benton (14-1)

9. Simms (14-0) (+1)

10. Melstone (14-1) (Previously unranked)