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The hot start to the Eastern AA schedule for the C.M. Russell High boys’ basketball team continues.
The Rustlers (8-2 overall, 4-1 conference) rolled to a 66-39 victory in the first of two rivalry matchups with Great Falls High (1-9, 1-4) on Thursday, Jan. 22, at Swarthout Fieldhouse.
More: VOTE for Great Falls Prep Athlete of the Week
Leading by 12 at the half, a CMR run bled into the third frame as the Rustlers scored 10 unanswered points to make it a 25-5 run overall to mount a 40-18 lead.
Miles Duda led all scorers with 18 points as he took command down low, while Ben Cunningham poured in 14 and Carson Pike added 13 for the Rustlers.
“I thought we played a little better in the second half,” CMR head coach John Cislo said. “I thought we did a better job of getting involved where we wanted to and making some easy shots and not forcing as much. And I think our turnovers were pretty low in the second half, so when we can do that, we'll have a chance to beat anybody.”
The win was the fourth in a row for CMR after falling to Billings Skyview to start the conference slate on Jan. 9, taking down Billings Senior 60-49, Belgrade 56-36 and Billings West 58-54.
Cunningham (14 ppg), Pike (12 ppg) and Duda (11.6 ppg) have been the top offensive threats for CMR this season.
Duda, the 6-foot-7 sophomore, also leads the squad with over eight rebounds per contest.
“He’s got a real soft touch around the basket,” Cislo said of Duda. “He’s got really good hands, which you can see on the boards. He doesn’t really elevate for the boards, but he gets his hands on them because he’s a long kid.”
Pike, a point guard who has been shooting over 44% from 3 this year, drilled two more on Thursday as he guided the CMR offense.
“He’s got to just keep plugging away and he’ll find some more consistency, because he’s got a beautiful shot and he knows how to score, that kid,” Cislo said.
Cunningham is a veteran presence who is in his third year on varsity as a junior and second as a full-time starter, leading the Rustlers in scoring while shooting over 40% from the floor.
“Ben’s always been a scorer,” Cislo said. “I thought he kind of pressed a little bit tonight, but that’s what a scorer does sometimes. But he kept shooting, which we need him to do.”
Despite a few stagnant stretches offensively in the first half, the Rustlers largely controlled the tempo in building the lead.
CMR ran out to early leads of 11-2 and 13-4 behind a pair of 3-pointers from Pike and another from Drew Etcheberry.
The Bison closed the gap on a 7-0 run on hoops from Eli Campbell and Zander Reeves before Noah Fleming beat the first-quarter buzzer from deep.
An Andrew Boutilier 3-ball kept things close in the second frame before the Rustlers closed out the half on a 13-2 run, with Duda pouring in eight points in the spurt and Etcheberry adding another 3.
The post Campbell led Great Falls High with 11 points, while Fleming dropped nine and Andrew Boutilier added eight. Fleming has been the leading scorer for the Bison so far at 11 points per game, followed by Boutilier with 10 and Campbell at nine.
“I think (first-year head coach) Eric (Chaon) has done a good job there,” Cislo said. “They always play hard, especially in this game. And as the year goes, they always get better. It might be a down year, but they’ll be tough as nails as the year goes.”
CMR plays host to Bozeman High on Tuesday, Jan. 27, before hitting the road against Bozeman Gallatin on Friday, Jan. 30. Great Falls High takes on Gallatin at home on Jan. 27 before a road tilt at Bozeman High on Jan. 30.
This article originally appeared on Great Falls Tribune: CMR boys' hot streak continues takes down Great Falls High
Continue reading...
The Rustlers (8-2 overall, 4-1 conference) rolled to a 66-39 victory in the first of two rivalry matchups with Great Falls High (1-9, 1-4) on Thursday, Jan. 22, at Swarthout Fieldhouse.
More: VOTE for Great Falls Prep Athlete of the Week
Leading by 12 at the half, a CMR run bled into the third frame as the Rustlers scored 10 unanswered points to make it a 25-5 run overall to mount a 40-18 lead.
Miles Duda led all scorers with 18 points as he took command down low, while Ben Cunningham poured in 14 and Carson Pike added 13 for the Rustlers.
“I thought we played a little better in the second half,” CMR head coach John Cislo said. “I thought we did a better job of getting involved where we wanted to and making some easy shots and not forcing as much. And I think our turnovers were pretty low in the second half, so when we can do that, we'll have a chance to beat anybody.”
The win was the fourth in a row for CMR after falling to Billings Skyview to start the conference slate on Jan. 9, taking down Billings Senior 60-49, Belgrade 56-36 and Billings West 58-54.
Cunningham (14 ppg), Pike (12 ppg) and Duda (11.6 ppg) have been the top offensive threats for CMR this season.
Duda, the 6-foot-7 sophomore, also leads the squad with over eight rebounds per contest.
“He’s got a real soft touch around the basket,” Cislo said of Duda. “He’s got really good hands, which you can see on the boards. He doesn’t really elevate for the boards, but he gets his hands on them because he’s a long kid.”
Pike, a point guard who has been shooting over 44% from 3 this year, drilled two more on Thursday as he guided the CMR offense.
“He’s got to just keep plugging away and he’ll find some more consistency, because he’s got a beautiful shot and he knows how to score, that kid,” Cislo said.
Cunningham is a veteran presence who is in his third year on varsity as a junior and second as a full-time starter, leading the Rustlers in scoring while shooting over 40% from the floor.
“Ben’s always been a scorer,” Cislo said. “I thought he kind of pressed a little bit tonight, but that’s what a scorer does sometimes. But he kept shooting, which we need him to do.”
Despite a few stagnant stretches offensively in the first half, the Rustlers largely controlled the tempo in building the lead.
CMR ran out to early leads of 11-2 and 13-4 behind a pair of 3-pointers from Pike and another from Drew Etcheberry.
The Bison closed the gap on a 7-0 run on hoops from Eli Campbell and Zander Reeves before Noah Fleming beat the first-quarter buzzer from deep.
An Andrew Boutilier 3-ball kept things close in the second frame before the Rustlers closed out the half on a 13-2 run, with Duda pouring in eight points in the spurt and Etcheberry adding another 3.
The post Campbell led Great Falls High with 11 points, while Fleming dropped nine and Andrew Boutilier added eight. Fleming has been the leading scorer for the Bison so far at 11 points per game, followed by Boutilier with 10 and Campbell at nine.
“I think (first-year head coach) Eric (Chaon) has done a good job there,” Cislo said. “They always play hard, especially in this game. And as the year goes, they always get better. It might be a down year, but they’ll be tough as nails as the year goes.”
CMR plays host to Bozeman High on Tuesday, Jan. 27, before hitting the road against Bozeman Gallatin on Friday, Jan. 30. Great Falls High takes on Gallatin at home on Jan. 27 before a road tilt at Bozeman High on Jan. 30.
This article originally appeared on Great Falls Tribune: CMR boys' hot streak continues takes down Great Falls High
Continue reading...
