LUSK – Senior Night for the Niobrara County High School boys basketball team was an opportunity for the five classmates with varying degrees of basketball ability to finish together at Tiger Gym last Friday night. Camden Rose got the start and buried a quick three pointer, to help Lusk open a 9-3 lead over Burns. The Broncs weren’t interested in giving away an easy win and trailed by just three after one period. They continued to hang around until Jackson Smith sank a triple and pushed the lead to 33-23 as halftime approached. NCHS moved it to 37-24 at the break.

Ridge Kupke and Cory Bruegger each made treys as the Tigers lead moved to 22 with one quarter left. With the game well in hand, David West and Tim Engelhardt joined Rose, Bruegger and Aidan Mattheus for a few minutes on the floor together. Rose knocked down another long ranger as the Tigers ran away with the 75-47 victory.

SCORE BY QUARTERS

BHS 18-7-9-14--48

NCHS 20-17-18-20--75

TEAM STATS

BHS 15/24 FG; 3/15 3PT; 9/19 FT; 29 REB; 8 AST; 8 STL; 25 TO; 20 PF

NCHS 23/44 FG; 5/13 3PT; 14/20 FT; 29 REB; 9 AST; 16 STL; 11 TO; 16 PF

NCHS PLAYER STATS: Scoring- Bruegger 16, Smith 11, Miller 9, Mattheus 8, Rose 8, Brott 6, Swisher 6, Bieri 6, Kupke 5. Rebounds- Bruegger 7, Brott 5. 

YODER – Saturday afternoon the homestanding Cyclones let the Tigers know early this time would be much different than the blowout in Lusk. Aside from Mattheus’ three pointer, the first quarter found NCHS in a one point hole. Mattheus warmed up with a couple more treys, yet the rest of the Tigers struggled. Lusk managed to pull ahead with a six point at halftime.

The home team hit a long three pointer near the buzzer and snuck ahead of Lusk 33-32 entering the fourth period. Mattheus buried his fourth triple of the game but the Tigers just couldn’t get the spark going. The rally never happened as Southeast halted Lusk’s six game winning streak in the 46-39 final score.

The junior varsity trailed Burns by a dozen late in the third quarter before going on a 20-1 run. Brott led with 12 points while Ryan Youngquist added ten in the 61-53 win. On Saturday they defeated Southeast 50-40 as Charlie Gaukel scored 13 for Lusk. The C squad held off the Cyclones 26-24 as Hudson Leimser put in ten points.

NCHS wraps up the regular season at the Hornet’s Nest Friday night, before the 2A East Regional Tournament in Burns.

SCORE BY QUARTERS

NCHS 10-12-10-7--39

SEHS 11-5-17-13--46

TEAM STATS

NCHS 9/25 FG; 4/26 3PT; 9/14 FT; 32 REB; 10 AST; 15 STL; 15 TO; 22 PF

SEHS 13/24 FG; 2/7 3PT; 14/30 FT; 30 REB; 7 AST; 6 STL; 26 TO; 15 PF

NCHS PLAYER STATS: Scoring- Mattheus 16, Smith 5, Kupke 5, Brott 4, Miller 4, Bruegger 2, Swisher 2, Matthews 1. Rebounds- Mattheus 7, Bruegger 5, Miller 5. Assists- Bruegger 5.