Montana High Schools (Class AA) Ranked By Mascots

High school basketball is in full swing. We are exactly one month away from the Class AA State High School Basketball Tournaments at the Brick in Bozeman.

With just a month until the crown jewel of high school basketball, I put together a ranking of all 16 AA basketball teams by their team names or mascots.

I appreciate names that are unique or has some meaning to the high school or area around. The generic names (which, there are quite a bit of generic team names in Montana high school sports) will typically place in the bottom half of the list.

Here's the rankings from last to first.

#16 Big Sky Eagles

Sorry, Big Sky. Just too generic to be higher.

#15 Butte Bulldogs

Another generic name. You could change spots with Big Sky, and I won't argue.

#14 Belgrade Panthers

Still generic.

#13 Bozeman Hawks

Still generic.

#12 Helena Bengals

The Bengals are slightly ahead of the previous four only because "Bengals" is slightly less generic then, say, "Tigers."

#11 Capital Bruins

Same reasoning for the Bruins. It's a little different than "Bears."

#10 Great Falls Bison

Bison is more closely attributed to Montana than the Bengals and it slightly more unique than the Bruins... I think?

#9 Hellgate Knights

Knights is a badass mascot. It's a smidge generic but badass all the same.

#8 Sentinel Spartans

Spartans get the edge over their crosstown rival Knights because of the alliteration.

#7 Skyview Falcons

The Falcons get a huge bump because of the high school name. The Skyview Falcons is a perfect name.

#6 Billings Senior Broncs

Something about dropping the 'o' from Broncos makes it a hip and cool team name.

#5 Billings West Golden Bears

Bears? Generic. Golden Bears? Shiny and fun.

4. Glacier Wolfpack

Wolfpack is an apt name for the team located just outside the great wilderness.

3. Gallatin Raptors

You don't hear many teams with "Raptors." Especially with the dinosaur - Montana connections, I love it.

2. Flathead Braves

A nice nod to the Native American heritage in the area. Plus, Braves sounds badass.

1. Great Falls CMR Rustlers

The best team name in AA Basketball: the Rustlers. It's unique. It's local (or at least it could be since we have plenty of cows). It sounds sweet. GO RUSTLERS.