'Beeters top North Star, Fort Benton now 9-1

The Chinook Sugarbeeters earned a tough 43-39 win over the North Star Knights Friday night and then pummeled District 9C contender Fort Benton 50-22 Saturday.

Against the Knights it was battle from the get go as Chinook trailed 10-9 after eight minutes of action and held a slim 26-25 advantage at the halftime break.

Junior Kelsey Mathon provided Chinook with a bit of separation midway through the third quarter when she drilled a long three to give the 'Beeters a 29-25 lead.

Moments later Mathon collected an offensive rebound and scored to extend the lead to 31-35.

Sophomore Sierra Swank hit a mid range jumper to push the lead to eight 33-25. Sophomore Abby Ellison answered a pair of North Star buckets by taking a nice pass from senior Brooke Nicholson to push the lead back to six 35-29 as the teams entered the fourth quarter of action.

Nicholson got the 'Beeters started with a dribble drive down the lane for two points and a 37-29 lead.

Junior Taylor Neibauer secured an offensive rebound and dished to Mathon for another score and a 39-31 lead midway through the fourth.

Nicholson added a bucket and Mathon a free throw but following a basket and one by North Star the lead was trimmed to 42-38 with 2:51 left in the contest.

Chinook maintained control of the ball and milked the clock down the stretch leading to a Neibauer free throw with :6.6 left to secure a 43-39 conference win over the Knights.

Nicholson provided the 'Beeters with 11 points in the win. Mathon added eight markers and five rebounds.

Swank scored ten points in the game and secured nine rebounds, five coming off the offensive glass.

Saturday in Fort Benton a match-up between the number two and three teams in the District 9C was suppose to be a battle between to teams firing on all cylinders as the second half of the season got underway.

What took place was a methodical dominating win by the 'Beeters in which they extended the lead each minute of the contest holding the Longhorns to just five second half points.

In a scrappy opening quarter, Nicholson scored seven of the 11 'Beeter points as the team held a 11-6 advantage heading into the second quarter.

Neibauer began the second quarter with a put back off an offensive rebound to push the lead to 13-6.

Ellison knocked down a long three moments later and Neibauer added another bucket after drawing a hard foul to push the lead to 18-6.

Nicholson added a bucket for a 20-6 advantage but the Longhorns then showed a little life as they closed the gap to 24-17 by intermission.

Chinook came out of the halftime locker room ready to play. Nicholson converted two free throws to start the scoring for Chinook and added a bucket off a nice dribble drive moments later to push the lead to 28-17.

Neibauer scored inside and Nicholson scored twice more extending the lead to 34-17.

Mathon connected on a pair from the charity stripe and Ellison scored off an offensive rebound before Nicholson closed out the third with a basket at the buzzer to give the 'beeters a comfortable 40-20 lead heading into the final eight minutes of action.

The 'Beeters would keep the pressure on throughout the fourth quarter as they outscored the Longhorns 10-2 to secure a surprisingly easy 50-22 victory over the 8-2 Longhorns.

Nicholson finished with 19 points in the contest with all of them coming in the first and third quarters.

Ellison added 17 points, including a triple to the 'Beeter point total. Neibauer finished with six points in the win.

Chinook will play host to the Hays/Lodge Pole Thunderbirds Thursday and will travel to Big Sandy Saturday to face the Pioneers in a pair of District 9C clashes.

Chinook improves to 6-1 in the District 9C and 9-1 overall as they continue to battle for seeding in the District 9C Tournament just five weeks away.

Currently Chinook holds the number two seed a game back of the Box Elder Bears.