Helena High knows that the Capital boys basketball squad will want the crosstown crown back.

The Bengals stole last year's title as the best team in the city when the Bengals won both crosstown games and unseated the Bruins after two and a half years.

The two squads will battle for it once again when they meet tonight at 8 p.m. in the Carroll P.E. Center.

Helena leads the regular-season series 36-34.

"That's a great motivator for them. They're going to be focused and out to get us," said Helena High head coach Willie Schlepp. "But it's a different team and a different season. Ultimately it comes down to the game in hand."

It will be the first Western AA Conference game for the Bengals, who are 2-2 on the season, winning their first two contests with Great Falls High and Missoula Hellgate before losing back-to-back games to undefeated Bozeman High.

It's a rather strong start for the Bengals, who went 0-4 to begin the 2007-08 season and lost six seniors off last year's team.

"We knew coming in what we had and we knew we were rebuilding," Schlepp said. "No. 1 is they're just unbelievable workers, and No. 2 we've just kind of thrown them into the fire as far as it's their first varsity action.

"We knew that it would be up and down and we'll be playing our best basketball at the end of the season."

With little in the way of size, Helena has turned up the speed of their game, using their athleticism to push the pace and work hard on defense.

Leading the squad on both ends has been junior Tyler Hulse, who has a team-high 13.5 points and 2.8 steals per game.

Adam Johnson, who at 6-foot-4 is listed as the tallest in the group, averages 9.5 points and 1.5 steals per game. He's also an impressive 10-of-11 from the free throw line (91 percent).

"They're juniors that have played at the state tournament and have some experience," Schlepp said. "They bring a lot of energy and knowledge of the basketball game and a competitive drive. They hate to lose.

"The rest of the team is following suit."

What's helped them out has been a pair of seniors, Nick Trapp and Zach Carpenter, who have guided the team on the floor.

"Nick is just an unbelievable floor general, instructing the offense and defense," Schlepp said. "He knows his role, he knows he has to delegate, score at times, but dish off when he has to."

Trapp leads the team with 2.5 assists and four rebounds per game.

Carpenter, meanwhile, has had a good start after injuring a knee last season, sidelining him through much of the year. He's since refocused and is adding 6.5 points per game.

While Helena's young squad is coming together, the Bruins have yet to play with their full group of starters since injuries sidelined players at the beginning of the season. Capital has had to scrap its way to a 2-3 record, 1-0 in conference.

Seniors Matt Njos and Ben Ternes both played for the first time in last week's 58-55 loss to Bozeman.

Njos, a two-year starter, had 10 points while Ternes chipped in eight.

"Both of them, when they're on the court, do make a difference for us," said Capital High head coach Guy Almquist.

Ternes will likely see more time at the guard position while Njos, who decided against surgery and has been rehabilitating an ACL injury in his knee, will have his time on the court tightly controlled as he recovers.

Both, Almquist said, have strong ballhandling skills and are good shooters along the perimeter.

In their absence, Kelan Farry has taken over as starting point guard and has been divvying out 3.6 assists per game.

"Kelan is starting and I think he's on his road to improving in confidence," Almquist said. "We want him to be aggressive and run the team from his point guard position. The better he plays the better we are, obviously."

His favorite targets have been junior Matt Miller and senior Tyler Erickson, who both stand over 6-4.

Miller, at the wing position, has led the team in scoring the first five games of the season and is averaging 17.2 points and 3.0 steals per game. He also adds 5.6 rebounds.

"We feel lucky to have him, he has tremendous athleticism and versatility," Almquist said. "He's been very willing to shoulder more of the load, but we feel we'll a better team when he doesn't have to do that."

Still, "in big moments of games, he's the guy we want to have the ball."

Erickson, meanwhile, is averaging 9.4 points and a team-high 8.8 rebounds per game at the center position. He'll be a big inside advantage for the Bruins against the slightly smaller Bengals.

"Tyler, he's a big, physical kid," Almquist said. "He's a rock for us on the inside. On defense, he's a very smart kid and is always in the right position."

Almquist is expecting the Bengals to spread the game out to a full-court press and try to stuff them at the post.

Schlepp said that they'll mix it up, and they will have to concentrate on stopping the Bruins' bigger inside game.

No matter what, Schlepp said, the game will come down to whoever can take care of the ball and limit turnovers.

For both, the game means more than just bragging rights. It's a chance for a strong start in the conference.

"Obviously it's a great rivalry, two proud schools that come together and play hard," Almquist said. "If we win, we're 2-0 and on top of the conference. That's our focus."

Sports Editor Jeff Windmueller: 447-4065 or jeff.windmueller@helenair.com