The last regular season match-up of East Helena’s 2025-2026 basketball campaign was one for the ages. In a taught, back-and-forth thriller, the Vigilante boys fell to Butte Central, 71-69 in overtime. And the girls cruised to a 53-25 victory over the Maroons.
The Vigilante squads enter the playoffs with identical records, 10-8 overall and 6-4 in Southeast A. The divisional tournament starts Feb. 26 in Billings.
East Helena’s Bearek Shuman reaches over Butte Central’s GG Fantini in the Vigilante’s 71-69 overtime loss on Tuesday, Feb. 17. (John Smith/The Monitor)DeonDray Ellis shoots over Butte Central’s Burkley Lakkala in the Vigilante’s 71-69 overtime loss on Tuesday, Feb. 17. (John Smith/The Monitor)East Helena’s Talen Thatcher shoots in the Vigilante’s 71-69 overtime loss on Tuesday, Feb. 17. (John Smith/The Monitor)East Helena’s Avery Hager goes up for two in the Vigilante’s 71-69 overtime loss on Tuesday, Feb. 17. (John Smith/The Monitor)Emma Taylor, left, and Adde Mix pin down Butte Central’s Braelynn Schelin in East Helena’s 53-25 victory on Tuesday, Feb. 17. (John Smith/The Monitor)East Helena’s Keeley Hamilton splits two Butte Central defenders in the Vigilante’s 53-25 victory on Tuesday, Feb. 17. (John Smith/The Monitor)East Helena’s Ellie Silvonen drives past Butte Central’s Jaedyn Maldonado in the Vigilante’s 53-25 victory on Tuesday, Feb. 17. (John Smith/The Monitor)Kyndal Lowrie drives into the lane in the Vigilante’s 53-25 victory on Tuesday, Feb. 17. (John Smith/The Monitor)The East Helena High band turned the volume up for the Vigilante’s final regular season game. (John Smith/The Monitor)
