WBB v colorado

[Will23C1982]

Thanks for the warm welcome!

I just finished watching the game. Wow, that was incredible. You can tell Coach Binford really values character players, defensive versatility and tenacity. It results in an immensely likeable and fun to watch team.

I know she got into foul trouble and really struggles to finish at the rim (no surprise when the opposition have players 6’4” and so on), but Jamison Philip has become one of my favourites. She plays with such heart, putting her body on the line to take charges, etc. I think she’ll become an old school floor general type of point guard.

But this game was all about Taylee Chirrick. Her defense is otherworldly. Last year, I felt she was a bit too frenetic, but this season she’s refined her game and is more poised. Her positioning and hussle make her a coach’s dream.

I thought the commentators did a great job, even going to the effort of researching Roberts, MT. I’m a teacher at a school with 1,400 students so it amazes me that these small Class C schools with 39 students are able to produce such incredible athletes. This is exactly why I’m such a fan: basketball in its purest form.

Welcome Will
Taylee cut her basketball teeth in Billings MT which is the largest city in MT with a population over 110K.
She also played club ball through the summers on all-star teams. She sure is a dynamic and determined player.

Very good point. Does anyone know why she went from Billings to Roberts? From a basketball perspective, it seems like a strange move, but I guess it was due to her parents’ jobs necessitating the relocation?

[BobcatDel]

Thanks for the warm welcome!

I just finished watching the game. Wow, that was incredible. You can tell Coach Binford really values character players, defensive versatility and tenacity. It results in an immensely likeable and fun to watch team.

I know she got into foul trouble and really struggles to finish at the rim (no surprise when the opposition have players 6’4” and so on), but Jamison Philip has become one of my favourites. She plays with such heart, putting her body on the line to take charges, etc. I think she’ll become an old school floor general type of point guard.

But this game was all about Taylee Chirrick. Her defense is otherworldly. Last year, I felt she was a bit too frenetic, but this season she’s refined her game and is more poised. Her positioning and hussle make her a coach’s dream.

I thought the commentators did a great job, even going to the effort of researching Roberts, MT. I’m a teacher at a school with 1,400 students so it amazes me that these small Class C schools with 39 students are able to produce such incredible athletes. This is exactly why I’m such a fan: basketball in its purest form.

Remember we have another Class C girl on the team….Teagan Ericsson. Who is showing improvement and getting some good minutes on the court. She can dunk a ball in practice. Her mom is the coach of the Saco HS girls team that has won back to back state championships.

[Will23C1982]

Thanks for the warm welcome!

I just finished watching the game. Wow, that was incredible. You can tell Coach Binford really values character players, defensive versatility and tenacity. It results in an immensely likeable and fun to watch team.

I know she got into foul trouble and really struggles to finish at the rim (no surprise when the opposition have players 6’4” and so on), but Jamison Philip has become one of my favourites. She plays with such heart, putting her body on the line to take charges, etc. I think she’ll become an old school floor general type of point guard.

But this game was all about Taylee Chirrick. Her defense is otherworldly. Last year, I felt she was a bit too frenetic, but this season she’s refined her game and is more poised. Her positioning and hussle make her a coach’s dream.

I thought the commentators did a great job, even going to the effort of researching Roberts, MT. I’m a teacher at a school with 1,400 students so it amazes me that these small Class C schools with 39 students are able to produce such incredible athletes. This is exactly why I’m such a fan: basketball in its purest form.

Remember we have another Class C girl on the team….Teagan Ericsson. Who is showing improvement and getting some good minutes on the court. She can dunk a ball in practice. Her mom is the coach of the Saco HS girls team that has won back to back state championships.

Absolutely. And I’ve thoroughly enjoyed reading about those hugely successful Saco teams. I believe they won the Class C championship two or three years running.

Teagan looks much more confident this year. She has such a diverse skill set for a big. She can stretch the floor, play defense, looks comfortable with the ball in her hands, etc. I think she’ll go from strength to strength in the next year or two.

The silver lining of losing Dykstra, Deden, etc, is that players like Ericsson get more minutes.

There’s something magical about watching players from the Hi-Line going on to play for the Bobcats. Living the dream.

Just wondering, are people familiar with the film Class C? (Sorry, I’m not sure how big it was in Montana). One of my all time favourite films/documentaries. It explores Class C basketball in towns like Scobey, Chester, Reed Point, etc.

To me, being from the UK, it’s unfathomable how these small towns produce such incredible talent.

[grizzh8r]

Thanks for the warm welcome!

I just finished watching the game. Wow, that was incredible. You can tell Coach Binford really values character players, defensive versatility and tenacity. It results in an immensely likeable and fun to watch team.

I know she got into foul trouble and really struggles to finish at the rim (no surprise when the opposition have players 6’4” and so on), but Jamison Philip has become one of my favourites. She plays with such heart, putting her body on the line to take charges, etc. I think she’ll become an old school floor general type of point guard.

But this game was all about Taylee Chirrick. Her defense is otherworldly. Last year, I felt she was a bit too frenetic, but this season she’s refined her game and is more poised. Her positioning and hussle make her a coach’s dream.

I thought the commentators did a great job, even going to the effort of researching Roberts, MT. I’m a teacher at a school with 1,400 students so it amazes me that these small Class C schools with 39 students are able to produce such incredible athletes. This is exactly why I’m such a fan: basketball in its purest form.

Welcome Will
Taylee cut her basketball teeth in Billings MT which is the largest city in MT with a population over 110K.
She also played club ball through the summers on all-star teams. She sure is a dynamic and determined player.

Very good point. Does anyone know why she went from Billings to Roberts? From a basketball perspective, it seems like a strange move, but I guess it was due to her parents’ jobs necessitating the relocation?

@Will23C1982, I don't think it was a job thing... See below BN thread from a couple years ago, it has some speculation as to why she transferred from West High to Roberts. "Cooney" is a reservoir very close to Roberts that is a popular local boating destination.

https://bobcatnation.com/bobcatbb/viewt ... ck#p816848

[BobcatDel]

Thanks for the warm welcome!

I just finished watching the game. Wow, that was incredible. You can tell Coach Binford really values character players, defensive versatility and tenacity. It results in an immensely likeable and fun to watch team.

I know she got into foul trouble and really struggles to finish at the rim (no surprise when the opposition have players 6’4” and so on), but Jamison Philip has become one of my favourites. She plays with such heart, putting her body on the line to take charges, etc. I think she’ll become an old school floor general type of point guard.

But this game was all about Taylee Chirrick. Her defense is otherworldly. Last year, I felt she was a bit too frenetic, but this season she’s refined her game and is more poised. Her positioning and hussle make her a coach’s dream.

I thought the commentators did a great job, even going to the effort of researching Roberts, MT. I’m a teacher at a school with 1,400 students so it amazes me that these small Class C schools with 39 students are able to produce such incredible athletes. This is exactly why I’m such a fan: basketball in its purest form.

Remember we have another Class C girl on the team….Teagan Ericsson. Who is showing improvement and getting some good minutes on the court. She can dunk a ball in practice. Her mom is the coach of the Saco HS girls team that has won back to back state championships.

Absolutely. And I’ve thoroughly enjoyed reading about those hugely successful Saco teams. I believe they won the Class C championship two or three years running.

Teagan looks much more confident this year. She has such a diverse skill set for a big. She can stretch the floor, play defense, looks comfortable with the ball in her hands, etc. I think she’ll go from strength to strength in the next year or two.

The silver lining of losing Dykstra, Deden, etc, is that players like Ericsson get more minutes.

There’s something magical about watching players from the Hi-Line going on to play for the Bobcats. Living the dream.

Just wondering, are people familiar with the film Class C? (Sorry, I’m not sure how big it was in Montana). One of my all time favourite films/documentaries. It explores Class C basketball in towns like Scobey, Chester, Reed Point, etc.

To me, being from the UK, it’s unfathomable how these small towns produce such incredible talent.

Yes I am familiar with the film Class C. I have seen it a couple times. I know the coach and some players on one of the teams. Some of the schools have consolidated since the film….example Chester is now Chester-Joplin-Inverness…just due to declining enrollment. The Class B schools would be small compared to what you are used to also. If you read this board you know we have a Class B lady coming next year that should thrive as a Bobcat. You can drive through Baker on your trip to Montana.

[BobcatDel]

Thanks for the warm welcome!

I just finished watching the game. Wow, that was incredible. You can tell Coach Binford really values character players, defensive versatility and tenacity. It results in an immensely likeable and fun to watch team.

I know she got into foul trouble and really struggles to finish at the rim (no surprise when the opposition have players 6’4” and so on), but Jamison Philip has become one of my favourites. She plays with such heart, putting her body on the line to take charges, etc. I think she’ll become an old school floor general type of point guard.

But this game was all about Taylee Chirrick. Her defense is otherworldly. Last year, I felt she was a bit too frenetic, but this season she’s refined her game and is more poised. Her positioning and hussle make her a coach’s dream.

I thought the commentators did a great job, even going to the effort of researching Roberts, MT. I’m a teacher at a school with 1,400 students so it amazes me that these small Class C schools with 39 students are able to produce such incredible athletes. This is exactly why I’m such a fan: basketball in its purest form.

Remember we have another Class C girl on the team….Teagan Ericsson. Who is showing improvement and getting some good minutes on the court. She can dunk a ball in practice. Her mom is the coach of the Saco HS girls team that has won back to back state championships.

Absolutely. And I’ve thoroughly enjoyed reading about those hugely successful Saco teams. I believe they won the Class C championship two or three years running.

Teagan looks much more confident this year. She has such a diverse skill set for a big. She can stretch the floor, play defense, looks comfortable with the ball in her hands, etc. I think she’ll go from strength to strength in the next year or two.

The silver lining of losing Dykstra, Deden, etc, is that players like Ericsson get more minutes.

There’s something magical about watching players from the Hi-Line going on to play for the Bobcats. Living the dream.

Just wondering, are people familiar with the film Class C? (Sorry, I’m not sure how big it was in Montana). One of my all time favourite films/documentaries. It explores Class C basketball in towns like Scobey, Chester, Reed Point, etc.

To me, being from the UK, it’s unfathomable how these small towns produce such incredible talent.

Sounds like you read about the Class C sports too. By the way the restaurant and bicycle in Willow Creek from the book Blind Your Ponies still exist. A picture of State Champ team hangs in the school…more than 7 kids mind you. The book Two Minutes of Glory By Spragg is a decent read on Class C boys basketball. It goes back to 50s, 60s, 70s and some 80s Class C BB. A lot of focus on Bozeman Rosary & Belgrade rivalries but also talks about Hiline schools trying to stay alive in the early years and great hiline teams at Gildford and Hingham….as well as some others.

[Will23C1982]

Thanks for the warm welcome!

I just finished watching the game. Wow, that was incredible. You can tell Coach Binford really values character players, defensive versatility and tenacity. It results in an immensely likeable and fun to watch team.

I know she got into foul trouble and really struggles to finish at the rim (no surprise when the opposition have players 6’4” and so on), but Jamison Philip has become one of my favourites. She plays with such heart, putting her body on the line to take charges, etc. I think she’ll become an old school floor general type of point guard.

But this game was all about Taylee Chirrick. Her defense is otherworldly. Last year, I felt she was a bit too frenetic, but this season she’s refined her game and is more poised. Her positioning and hussle make her a coach’s dream.

I thought the commentators did a great job, even going to the effort of researching Roberts, MT. I’m a teacher at a school with 1,400 students so it amazes me that these small Class C schools with 39 students are able to produce such incredible athletes. This is exactly why I’m such a fan: basketball in its purest form.

Remember we have another Class C girl on the team….Teagan Ericsson. Who is showing improvement and getting some good minutes on the court. She can dunk a ball in practice. Her mom is the coach of the Saco HS girls team that has won back to back state championships.

Absolutely. And I’ve thoroughly enjoyed reading about those hugely successful Saco teams. I believe they won the Class C championship two or three years running.

Teagan looks much more confident this year. She has such a diverse skill set for a big. She can stretch the floor, play defense, looks comfortable with the ball in her hands, etc. I think she’ll go from strength to strength in the next year or two.

The silver lining of losing Dykstra, Deden, etc, is that players like Ericsson get more minutes.

There’s something magical about watching players from the Hi-Line going on to play for the Bobcats. Living the dream.

Just wondering, are people familiar with the film Class C? (Sorry, I’m not sure how big it was in Montana). One of my all time favourite films/documentaries. It explores Class C basketball in towns like Scobey, Chester, Reed Point, etc.

To me, being from the UK, it’s unfathomable how these small towns produce such incredible talent.

Yes I am familiar with the film Class C. I have seen it a couple times. I know the coach and some players on one of the teams. Some of the schools have consolidated since the film….example Chester is now Chester-Joplin-Inverness…just due to declining enrollment. The Class B schools would be small compared to what you are used to also. If you read this board you know we have a Class B lady coming next year that should thrive as a Bobcat. You can drive through Baker on your trip to Montana.

I’m so pleased to hear that you’ve seen the film too. Back in 2016, on my Montana road trip, we drove through Chester, took some photos of the water tower (I have a strange fascination with them), but didn’t see any budding basketball stars or indeed many people at all. Such a sleepy small town. Yes, I’d heard about the merger. Better that way than having no basketball team at all.

I’m very excited about Madison O’Connor! I haven’t been to Baker but we drove to Makoshika state park and went through Glendive which I believe meant I wasn’t too far away. She seems like the real deal. Hopefully Baker can go one better this year and win it all - if I remember correctly, they were runners up last year.

[Bobcat4Ever]

Let’s not forget Addison Harris vs. Colorado. In 30 minutes she dropped 17 points on 50% shooting although she was 0-4 on 3s which is unusual. That meant she was 6-8 on 2s which is pretty exceptional against that height. She’s as conventional as Taylee is non-conventional and the two together are a force. How long has it been since MSU has had the #2 and #3 scorers in the Big Sky? Addison is rolling out a bigger shot collection game by game. She hurt Colorado with a beautiful pull-up jumper high off the backboard (on purpose!) and a smooth step-back jumper in the lane over a Colorado blue spruce height player. Addison is as athletic a “big” as the ‘Cats have had in a long time. She is a big reason that I thought this team is better than last year’s.

[Will23C1982]

Thanks for the warm welcome!

I just finished watching the game. Wow, that was incredible. You can tell Coach Binford really values character players, defensive versatility and tenacity. It results in an immensely likeable and fun to watch team.

I know she got into foul trouble and really struggles to finish at the rim (no surprise when the opposition have players 6’4” and so on), but Jamison Philip has become one of my favourites. She plays with such heart, putting her body on the line to take charges, etc. I think she’ll become an old school floor general type of point guard.

But this game was all about Taylee Chirrick. Her defense is otherworldly. Last year, I felt she was a bit too frenetic, but this season she’s refined her game and is more poised. Her positioning and hussle make her a coach’s dream.

I thought the commentators did a great job, even going to the effort of researching Roberts, MT. I’m a teacher at a school with 1,400 students so it amazes me that these small Class C schools with 39 students are able to produce such incredible athletes. This is exactly why I’m such a fan: basketball in its purest form.

Remember we have another Class C girl on the team….Teagan Ericsson. Who is showing improvement and getting some good minutes on the court. She can dunk a ball in practice. Her mom is the coach of the Saco HS girls team that has won back to back state championships.

Absolutely. And I’ve thoroughly enjoyed reading about those hugely successful Saco teams. I believe they won the Class C championship two or three years running.

Teagan looks much more confident this year. She has such a diverse skill set for a big. She can stretch the floor, play defense, looks comfortable with the ball in her hands, etc. I think she’ll go from strength to strength in the next year or two.

The silver lining of losing Dykstra, Deden, etc, is that players like Ericsson get more minutes.

There’s something magical about watching players from the Hi-Line going on to play for the Bobcats. Living the dream.

Just wondering, are people familiar with the film Class C? (Sorry, I’m not sure how big it was in Montana). One of my all time favourite films/documentaries. It explores Class C basketball in towns like Scobey, Chester, Reed Point, etc.

To me, being from the UK, it’s unfathomable how these small towns produce such incredible talent.

Sounds like you read about the Class C sports too. By the way the restaurant and bicycle in Willow Creek from the book Blind Your Ponies still exist. A picture of State Champ team hangs in the school…more than 7 kids mind you. The book Two Minutes of Glory By Spragg is a decent read on Class C boys basketball. It goes back to 50s, 60s, 70s and some 80s Class C BB. A lot of focus on Bozeman Rosary & Belgrade rivalries but also talks about Hiline schools trying to stay alive in the early years and great hiline teams at Gildford and Hingham….as well as some others.

Well this is embarrassing. Despite being a Geography teacher, and despite spending an unhealthy amount of time staring at various maps of Montana, I’d assumed Willow Creek was a fictitious town (despite the book referring to plenty of other real places, eg Big Timber).

I’ll have to add it to my list of towns to visit next time I have the privilege of being in Montana! Thanks for the heads up about the restaurant and bicycle! It’s such a great book.

I have a copy of Two Minutes of Glory. It’s been on my book shelves for a couple of years but I haven’t yet got around to reading it. I’m fascinated by basketball history, especially the mid-century era, so it’ll be right up my street. Anything about the Hi-Line will appeal to me. I’m truly fascinated by those communities.

[BelgradeBobcat]

Thanks for the warm welcome!

I just finished watching the game. Wow, that was incredible. You can tell Coach Binford really values character players, defensive versatility and tenacity. It results in an immensely likeable and fun to watch team.

I know she got into foul trouble and really struggles to finish at the rim (no surprise when the opposition have players 6’4” and so on), but Jamison Philip has become one of my favourites. She plays with such heart, putting her body on the line to take charges, etc. I think she’ll become an old school floor general type of point guard.

But this game was all about Taylee Chirrick. Her defense is otherworldly. Last year, I felt she was a bit too frenetic, but this season she’s refined her game and is more poised. Her positioning and hussle make her a coach’s dream.

I thought the commentators did a great job, even going to the effort of researching Roberts, MT. I’m a teacher at a school with 1,400 students so it amazes me that these small Class C schools with 39 students are able to produce such incredible athletes. This is exactly why I’m such a fan: basketball in its purest form.

Remember we have another Class C girl on the team….Teagan Ericsson. Who is showing improvement and getting some good minutes on the court. She can dunk a ball in practice. Her mom is the coach of the Saco HS girls team that has won back to back state championships.

Absolutely. And I’ve thoroughly enjoyed reading about those hugely successful Saco teams. I believe they won the Class C championship two or three years running.

Teagan looks much more confident this year. She has such a diverse skill set for a big. She can stretch the floor, play defense, looks comfortable with the ball in her hands, etc. I think she’ll go from strength to strength in the next year or two.

The silver lining of losing Dykstra, Deden, etc, is that players like Ericsson get more minutes.

There’s something magical about watching players from the Hi-Line going on to play for the Bobcats. Living the dream.

Just wondering, are people familiar with the film Class C? (Sorry, I’m not sure how big it was in Montana). One of my all time favourite films/documentaries. It explores Class C basketball in towns like Scobey, Chester, Reed Point, etc.

To me, being from the UK, it’s unfathomable how these small towns produce such incredible talent.

Sounds like you read about the Class C sports too. By the way the restaurant and bicycle in Willow Creek from the book Blind Your Ponies still exist. A picture of State Champ team hangs in the school…more than 7 kids mind you. The book Two Minutes of Glory By Spragg is a decent read on Class C boys basketball. It goes back to 50s, 60s, 70s and some 80s Class C BB. A lot of focus on Bozeman Rosary & Belgrade rivalries but also talks about Hiline schools trying to stay alive in the early years and great hiline teams at Gildford and Hingham….as well as some others.

Well this is embarrassing. Despite being a Geography teacher, and despite spending an unhealthy amount of time staring at various maps of Montana, I’d assumed Willow Creek was a fictitious town (despite the book referring to plenty of other real places, eg Big Timber).

I’ll have to add it to my list of towns to visit next time I have the privilege of being in Montana! Thanks for the heads up about the restaurant and bicycle! It’s such a great book.

I have a copy of Two Minutes of Glory. It’s been on my book shelves for a couple of years but I haven’t yet got around to reading it. I’m fascinated by basketball history, especially the mid-century era, so it’ll be right up my street. Anything about the Hi-Line will appeal to me. I’m truly fascinated by those communities.

I was a Manhattan Christian Eagle back in the 80's who were a bit of a villain in Blind Your Ponies. Willow Creek was a mostly friendly rival. They had a head coach, Mike Korich, who was there forever and very crafty. They had some good teams in the 70's and early 80's. One time he said he could take state with Manhattan Christian's bench players-and he was probably right. Their gym is a cracker box and gave them a big home court advantage. When I played, Willow Creek's enrollment was in decline. They had two or three really, really good players, but nothing after that. They also never had any height-no 6'11" Norwegian exchange students like in the book. Now-a-days I think they co-op with Harrison for the one or two Willow Creek kids who play. A few years ago the mostly Harrison team played a "home" game at Willow Creek and they dug out the old Willow Creek uniforms to wear on that night. The high school hangs on despite only being about 8 miles from Three Forks.

[nevadacat]

Thanks for the warm welcome!

I just finished watching the game. Wow, that was incredible. You can tell Coach Binford really values character players, defensive versatility and tenacity. It results in an immensely likeable and fun to watch team.

I know she got into foul trouble and really struggles to finish at the rim (no surprise when the opposition have players 6’4” and so on), but Jamison Philip has become one of my favourites. She plays with such heart, putting her body on the line to take charges, etc. I think she’ll become an old school floor general type of point guard.

But this game was all about Taylee Chirrick. Her defense is otherworldly. Last year, I felt she was a bit too frenetic, but this season she’s refined her game and is more poised. Her positioning and hussle make her a coach’s dream.

I thought the commentators did a great job, even going to the effort of researching Roberts, MT. I’m a teacher at a school with 1,400 students so it amazes me that these small Class C schools with 39 students are able to produce such incredible athletes. This is exactly why I’m such a fan: basketball in its purest form.

Remember we have another Class C girl on the team….Teagan Ericsson. Who is showing improvement and getting some good minutes on the court. She can dunk a ball in practice. Her mom is the coach of the Saco HS girls team that has won back to back state championships.

Absolutely. And I’ve thoroughly enjoyed reading about those hugely successful Saco teams. I believe they won the Class C championship two or three years running.

Teagan looks much more confident this year. She has such a diverse skill set for a big. She can stretch the floor, play defense, looks comfortable with the ball in her hands, etc. I think she’ll go from strength to strength in the next year or two.

The silver lining of losing Dykstra, Deden, etc, is that players like Ericsson get more minutes.

There’s something magical about watching players from the Hi-Line going on to play for the Bobcats. Living the dream.

Just wondering, are people familiar with the film Class C? (Sorry, I’m not sure how big it was in Montana). One of my all time favourite films/documentaries. It explores Class C basketball in towns like Scobey, Chester, Reed Point, etc.

To me, being from the UK, it’s unfathomable how these small towns produce such incredible talent.

Sounds like you read about the Class C sports too. By the way the restaurant and bicycle in Willow Creek from the book Blind Your Ponies still exist. A picture of State Champ team hangs in the school…more than 7 kids mind you. The book Two Minutes of Glory By Spragg is a decent read on Class C boys basketball. It goes back to 50s, 60s, 70s and some 80s Class C BB. A lot of focus on Bozeman Rosary & Belgrade rivalries but also talks about Hiline schools trying to stay alive in the early years and great hiline teams at Gildford and Hingham….as well as some others.

And the restaurant in Willow Creek is primo! Go there every time I get up to Bozeman.

I remember playing against Bozeman Rosary in middle school. When did it close? About 1977?

[rfischer94]

Let’s not forget Addison Harris vs. Colorado. In 30 minutes she dropped 17 points on 50% shooting although she was 0-4 on 3s which is unusual. That meant she was 6-8 on 2s which is pretty exceptional against that height. She’s as conventional as Taylee is non-conventional and the two together are a force. How long has it been since MSU has had the #2 and #3 scorers in the Big Sky? Addison is rolling out a bigger shot collection game by game. She hurt Colorado with a beautiful pull-up jumper high off the backboard (on purpose!) and a smooth step-back jumper in the lane over a Colorado blue spruce height player. Addison is as athletic a “big” as the ‘Cats have had in a long time. She is a big reason that I thought this team is better than last year’s.

Those were the two prettiest shots I've seen this season from anyone.

[84CatGrad]

Thanks for the warm welcome!

I just finished watching the game. Wow, that was incredible. You can tell Coach Binford really values character players, defensive versatility and tenacity. It results in an immensely likeable and fun to watch team.

I know she got into foul trouble and really struggles to finish at the rim (no surprise when the opposition have players 6’4” and so on), but Jamison Philip has become one of my favourites. She plays with such heart, putting her body on the line to take charges, etc. I think she’ll become an old school floor general type of point guard.

But this game was all about Taylee Chirrick. Her defense is otherworldly. Last year, I felt she was a bit too frenetic, but this season she’s refined her game and is more poised. Her positioning and hussle make her a coach’s dream.

I thought the commentators did a great job, even going to the effort of researching Roberts, MT. I’m a teacher at a school with 1,400 students so it amazes me that these small Class C schools with 39 students are able to produce such incredible athletes. This is exactly why I’m such a fan: basketball in its purest form.

Welcome Will
Taylee cut her basketball teeth in Billings MT which is the largest city in MT with a population over 110K.
She also played club ball through the summers on all-star teams. She sure is a dynamic and determined player.

Very good point. Does anyone know why she went from Billings to Roberts? From a basketball perspective, it seems like a strange move, but I guess it was due to her parents’ jobs necessitating the relocation?

I understand it was because she wanted to play with her little sister who was 2 years younger.

[ClowderUp]

Chirrick has a chance to become a legend at the Tommy Mellott or Troy Andersen level for WBB if she sticks around.

[Bobcat4Ever]

Chirrick has a chance to become a legend at the Tommy Mellott or Troy Andersen level for WBB if she sticks around.

Hmm — she has no runs over 31 yards.

[D-Wreck]

Chirrick has a chance to become a legend at the Tommy Mellott or Troy Andersen level for WBB if she sticks around.

Probably even better. Not sure on her arm strength, but she could definitely see over the OL easier.

[ClowderUp]

Chirrick has a chance to become a legend at the Tommy Mellott or Troy Andersen level for WBB if she sticks around.

Hmm — she has no runs over 31 yards.

True, but Tommy and Troy never scored 42 points with 15 rebounds and 10 steals in a single week while in college and they are still legends.

[BobcatDel]

Chirrick has a chance to become a legend at the Tommy Mellott or Troy Andersen level for WBB if she sticks around.

Hmm — she has no runs over 31 yards.

No...but she has more takeaways than either of those two ever had.... combined!! Im going to go now....

[BobcatDel]

Thanks for the warm welcome!

I just finished watching the game. Wow, that was incredible. You can tell Coach Binford really values character players, defensive versatility and tenacity. It results in an immensely likeable and fun to watch team.

I know she got into foul trouble and really struggles to finish at the rim (no surprise when the opposition have players 6’4” and so on), but Jamison Philip has become one of my favourites. She plays with such heart, putting her body on the line to take charges, etc. I think she’ll become an old school floor general type of point guard.

But this game was all about Taylee Chirrick. Her defense is otherworldly. Last year, I felt she was a bit too frenetic, but this season she’s refined her game and is more poised. Her positioning and hussle make her a coach’s dream.

I thought the commentators did a great job, even going to the effort of researching Roberts, MT. I’m a teacher at a school with 1,400 students so it amazes me that these small Class C schools with 39 students are able to produce such incredible athletes. This is exactly why I’m such a fan: basketball in its purest form.

Remember we have another Class C girl on the team….Teagan Ericsson. Who is showing improvement and getting some good minutes on the court. She can dunk a ball in practice. Her mom is the coach of the Saco HS girls team that has won back to back state championships.

Absolutely. And I’ve thoroughly enjoyed reading about those hugely successful Saco teams. I believe they won the Class C championship two or three years running.

Teagan looks much more confident this year. She has such a diverse skill set for a big. She can stretch the floor, play defense, looks comfortable with the ball in her hands, etc. I think she’ll go from strength to strength in the next year or two.

The silver lining of losing Dykstra, Deden, etc, is that players like Ericsson get more minutes.

There’s something magical about watching players from the Hi-Line going on to play for the Bobcats. Living the dream.

Just wondering, are people familiar with the film Class C? (Sorry, I’m not sure how big it was in Montana). One of my all time favourite films/documentaries. It explores Class C basketball in towns like Scobey, Chester, Reed Point, etc.

To me, being from the UK, it’s unfathomable how these small towns produce such incredible talent.

Yes I am familiar with the film Class C. I have seen it a couple times. I know the coach and some players on one of the teams. Some of the schools have consolidated since the film….example Chester is now Chester-Joplin-Inverness…just due to declining enrollment. The Class B schools would be small compared to what you are used to also. If you read this board you know we have a Class B lady coming next year that should thrive as a Bobcat. You can drive through Baker on your trip to Montana.

I’m so pleased to hear that you’ve seen the film too. Back in 2016, on my Montana road trip, we drove through Chester, took some photos of the water tower (I have a strange fascination with them), but didn’t see any budding basketball stars or indeed many people at all. Such a sleepy small town. Yes, I’d heard about the merger. Better that way than having no basketball team at all.

I’m very excited about Madison O’Connor! I haven’t been to Baker but we drove to Makoshika state park and went through Glendive which I believe meant I wasn’t too far away. She seems like the real deal. Hopefully Baker can go one better this year and win it all - if I remember correctly, they were runners up last year.

At the risk of becoming a book club event rather than a sports board......WTH... here goes.

The book "Counting Coup" by Colton is a great read. Follows a great Crow Indian woman basketball player, Sharon LaForge, on her struggles with life, family, culture on the reservation while competing in basketball. True story. Basketball is a big deal on many Montana Indian towns and they often excel when good coaches come around. Recent Class C state titles at Arlee and Box Elder are prime examples. LaForge did not play in Class C but the life struggles are documented here which some of these kids face.

"Pacer Coulee Chronicles" is a fictional account of a small Class C central Montana community in both football and basketball. It lays out the fabric of sports and how it impacts the social life and culture in these small communities. You probably got a glimpse of that in the "Class C" movie you watched. It's written by a fellow named Wayne Edwards which likely means nothing to you. But until the last couple years Wayne was one of the top 10 running backs in Bobcat football history and he is from a small town in central Montana called Denton... a small Class C community from which he rose to prominence in college football.

[Will23C1982]

@BobcatDel

Well, that’s the last few items on my Christmas list sorted - thank you! Both sound great - right up my street.

I’d heard of Counting Coup so I’m glad it’s got your recommendation. When watching Class C, I found the Rocky Boy parts fascinating, so I’ll enjoy reading about Sharon Laforge.

And Pacer Coulee Chronicles sounds ideal if it captures how sport affects small town communities. Can’t wait to find out more about that one.

When I visited Montana in 2016, we stayed a couple of nights in Fort Benton, which was an absolutely joy. We met some incredible people in the local bar and felt very welcome. After our trip, I was delighted to see that Fort Benton won the Class C tournament a few years later, led by Aspen Giese. She went on to play for Montana State-Billings. Is she a name people are familiar with? She seemed like a very talented player, but maybe not quite D1 standard?