Rough weekend for boys basketball

By Louis “Sonny” Merchen

On Friday night, the Wolves boys basketball team hosted the #2-ranked Sundance Bulldogs.

They are an incredibly athletic team and have a lot of kids who shoot the basketball really well. We knew going into the game we were going to have to commit to the defensive side of the ball if we were going to play with them.

In the first quarter, we played well defensively and held them to 13 first-quarter points. Offensively, we struggled against their athleticism and weren’t getting our shots to fall, and the Bulldogs took a 13-6 lead into the second.

In the second quarter, we put our best quarter together as a basketball team all year and outscored them, 17-8 and took a 23-21 lead into halftime.

In the third quarter, the Bulldogs came out in their full court press and we struggled taking care of the ball, which, in turn, led to some easy baskets for them. The Wolves were outscored in the third, 22-11 and the Bulldogs took a 43-34 lead going into the fourth.

We handled the pressure much better in the fourth and tried to climb back in the game, but, in the end, the Bulldogs were too much as they went on to win the contest, 61-49.

I thought the boys gave it their all and played great team defense for most of the game.

Moorcroft: Caden Connally 0,1, 3; Lane Wood 2,3,2-5, 15; Zane Linder 2,6-8, 10; Cole Stripp 0,1,3-4, 6; Daniel Bryant 1, 2; Jadon Weeda 1, 2; and Clay Stripp 0,2, 5-6, 11.

Sundance: B Kruger 1,0-1, 3; L Martin 5,2-4, 12; L Rudloff 3,2-2, 8; G McLaughlin 6,1,3-9, 18; L Gill 5,2,3-4, 19; and Gillespie 1, 2.

On Saturday, the Wolves hosted the #4 ranked Tongue River Eagles.

The Eagles came out ready to play and jumped out on us early, taking a 17-6 lead into the second quarter. In the second quarter, it was much of the same and the Eagles would roll to a 33-12 halftime lead.

I didn’t think we came out with the same intensity that we did the night before and against good basketball teams it takes that intensity for all four quarters. We struggled shooting the ball in the first half and were really outrebounded.

The Wolves came out with the intensity in the second half and climbed their way back into the game and got the Eagles lead down to 10 but, in the end, the lead was too big to dig our way out. The Eagles would go on to win this contest, 64-46.

I think we had exerted a lot of energy in the game the night before and played with such emotion that we came out a little sluggish Saturday. We give the Eagles a lot of credit because they are a well coached, disciplined basketball team.

The Wolves finish the regular season with a 9-9 overall record and 3-5 in conference play. We ended up the fourth seed in our districts and will take on the first seed Sundance Bulldogs on Thursday at 1:30 p.m. at the high school, in a win and get in to state, or lose and go home scenario.

Moorcroft: Caden Connally 1, 3; Lane Wood 3,2-4, 8; Zane Linder 4-4, 4; Cole Stripp 1-3, 1; Daniel Bryant 1,0-1, 2; Kyler Smith 2,0-1, 4; Gavin Bohanon 1,2,3-6, 11; Jadon Weeda 1, 2; and Clay Stripp 2,1,4-6, 11.

Tongue River: G Ostler 1,2-2, 4; W Ostler 2-2, 2; T Aksamit 2, 1-2, 5; J Walker 2,1-2, 5; R McCafferty 1, 2; G Bolds 2,0-1, 4; B Bockman 3,2-4, 8; N Guimond 5, 4-9, 14; S Patterson 5, 5-7, 15; and C Hanft 2,1-2, 5.