Lodge Grass girls continue strong stretch with win over Fairfield

BILLINGS — The Lodge Grass girls basketball team extended its winning streak to four with a 55-49 Class B victory over Fairfield at First Interstate Arena at MetraPark on Saturday night.

Lodge Grass (7-7) trailed 16-12 after one quarter but took a 27-22 lead into halftime. Fairfield (9-5) cut its deficit to 37-36 through three quarters and went ahead 43-39 early in the fourth, but an 11-3 run propelled the Indians to a win.

“In the first half, I thought they were going to take off on us,” said Lodge Grass junior Shantell Pretty On Top, who called Saturday’s win the best of the season. “We started working together, talking, communicating.”

Pretty On Top led all players with 22 points, and sophomore Diamond Amyotte added 14.

Emma Woods led the Eagles with 15 points (five 3-pointers), and fellow junior Tori Jones scored nine.

It was the regular season finale for Lodge Grass (7-7), which last lost to Hardin 70-32 on Jan. 30 at the Metra. Despite the lopsided score, Indians coach Gary Stevenson viewed that game as a bit of a turning point because his team jumped out to a 21-3 lead over the No. 3-ranked team in Class A and defending state co-champion.

Lodge Grass followed that defeat up with wins of 54-50 at Huntley Project, 59-48 over Joliet and 69-55 over Lame Deer heading into Saturday (Friday’s game against Forsyth was canceled because of the frigid weather).

“We’re just now seeing the fruit of all the labor we’re doing,” Stevenson said. “We feel really great.”

Saturday’s game was Fairfield’s seventh this season with a single-digit margin of victory. The Eagles are 3-4 in those games, with two losses to Belt by a combined three points and a 50-42 loss to Class B now-No. 3 Missoula Loyola on Jan. 21. Their other defeat was to Class A No. 2 Havre, 80-42 on Jan. 26.

Attendance for Saturday's Fairfield-Lodge Grass girls and boys basketball doubleheader at the Metra was capped at 2,900 spectators.

Lodge Grass vs. Fairfield

Lodge Grass vs. Fairfield

Lodge Grass vs. Fairfield

Lodge Grass vs. Fairfield

Lodge Grass vs. Fairfield

Lodge Grass vs. Fairfield

Lodge Grass vs. Fairfield

Lodge Grass vs. Fairfield

Lodge Grass vs. Fairfield

Lodge Grass vs. Fairfield

Lodge Grass vs. Fairfield

Lodge Grass vs. Fairfield

Lodge Grass vs. Fairfield

Lodge Grass vs. Fairfield

Lodge Grass vs. Fairfield

Lodge Grass vs. Fairfield

Lodge Grass vs. Fairfield