The- Full -repor-with- Billing- central, 49-36
The- Full -repor-with- Billing- central, 49-36

Kaitlin Grossman took a long pass from the exit and standing about three feet beyond the three-point line on the right-hand line, quickly threw his own pass to Billings West’s basket.

On the court on the other side, Maddie Albrecht, who jumped high in the air and brought the ball backboard by two easy points.

“Showtime,” Billings West’s women’s basketball coach, Charlie Johnson, called him with a big smile. It’s true that Johnson can’t see as much as he would like, but the Golden Bears provided enough flash to get a 49-36 win over Billings Central on Tuesday night at Western Gym.

The- Full -repor-with- Billing- central, 49-36
The Full report on Billing west squares season with Billing central, 49-36

It was the fifth straight win for the West, which is No. 4 in the AA qualification for late finishes, and improved the Bears’ record to 7-3 overall. Albrecht scored 11 points to lead the Bears, followed by Laiten Lantis and Willa Albrecht, who scored 10.

One thing the Bears have shown in their first 10 games is that once they throw it on the field, they’re hard to stop.

“As an amateur or bystander, you ask yourself, “Why to execute a half-judicial crime?” said Johnson. “Well, unfortunately, we don’t (transition baskets) every time. I wish we could, sit on the bench and make popcorn and concessions.

“It’s basic basketball. It’s filmed box (outside) Bounce  Output. If that is what you want to call the offense, that is what I would call it. Only shot, box, bounce, exit. Just go there.

The Bears used two 9-0 bursts to put things in their favor. The first came early in the third quarter, Grossman-to-Albrecht alley-oop was the last basket of the race that gave the Bears a 29-22 lead.

“I do a lot in training when you’re joking in training,” said Albrecht, who scored four of his team’s 11 points in stretching. 

West started the fourth quarter with another 9-0 run after the Rams (10-2) placed 31-30 in the baskets of Mya Hansen, Olivia Moten-Schell and Solei Elletson. This time, Willa Abrecht scored three runs, Mackenzie Rask hit a run and Maddie Albrecht completed another game of the goal period and a 40-30 lead.