We've Got The County Covered
We've Got The County Covered
Hays/Lodge Pole junior Elijah Blackcrow glides in for a score in third quarter action Friday night.
Sugarbeeter freshman Rylee Kellam attacks the Thunderbird defense.
Tyson Shambo scores a third quarter bucket to give the Thunderbirds a 19-17 lead.
The Chinook Sugarbeeters and Hays/Lodge Pole Thunderbirds have played some classic down to the wire, momentum changing basketball games the past few seasons and last
Thursday nights contest was no different.
The one thing neither team has done is win on their home court. A year ago the teams split their regular season match ups with each winning on the others floor.
Chinook defeated the Thunderbirds in Hays back in late December and the Thunderbirds were looking for history to repeat itself when they visited the Sugarbeeters.
It did just that as Hays/Lodge Pole outlasted Chinook in another tight finish securing a 41-35 District 9C win.
Chinook freshman Isaac Bell scored the opening two points off a feed from junior Kyler McMaster.
Thunderbird junior Frank RunsAbove quickly countered with a basket to knot the game at 2-2.
Freshman Cord Schneider was the recipient of another Johnson pass to put Chinook on top 4-2.
The Thunderbirds responded with a free throw from sophomore David Main and another basket from RunsAbove to lead 5-4.
Schneider gave Chinook the lead back only to see RunsAbove turn a nice pass from junior Tyson Shambo into two points and a 7-6 Thunderbird lead.
RunsAbove added another bucket on the break and junior Charles Werk scored off another nice pass from Shambo to push the Thunderbird lead to 13-6 leading to a timeout by Chinook head coach Mike Seymour.
The 'Beeters responded with senior Ian McIntosh finding Bell coming out of his curl in perfect stride for a bucket at the rim.
Bell then converted an offensive rebound for a score and added a bucket on the teams next possession to bring the 'Beeters back within one, 13-12.
Chinook Freshman Rylee Kellam checked in and immediately made his presence felt beating his defender off the dribble for a bucket and a Chinook lead, 14-13.
RunsAbove would take the lead right back for the Thunderbirds on the next possession as the teams continued to take each others best shot.
McIntosh drained a long three at the halftime buzzer sending the 'Beeters to the locker up 17-15 following the eighth lead change of the half.
Bell extended the lead to 19-15 with an offensive rebound and score and Schneider would keep the 'Beeters in front 22-21 with a basket midway through the third.
Senior Damon Castillo drained a long three to put the Thunderbirds back on top 2-22 but Bell would answer for Chinook to tie the game at 24-24.
The Thunderbirds extended the lead to 31-26 following a basket from junior Jace Shambo but a three point basket from Johnson pulled Chinook within two, 31-29.
Werk gave the Thunderbirds a 33-29 lead before Johnson trimmed the advantage to 33-31 off a pass from McIntosh.
McIntosh's take to the basket brought the 'Beeters within two again at 37-35 with1:05 left in the contest.
RunsAbove would seal the deal for the Thunderbirds with a bucket followed by a pair of free throws from Tyson Shambo to give the Thunderbirds a hard fought 41-35 win.
RunsAbove finished with 15 points in the contest while also pulling down six rebounds.
Tyson Shambo scored eight points for the Thunderbirds and dished out eight assists and recorded four steals in the win.
For the 'Beeters Bell scored 16 points and corralled 11 rebounds. Schneider added seven points and ten boards for the 'Beeters.
Chinook currently holds the number three seed in the conference with a 6-3 mark while the Thunderbirds stand at 5-4. The District 9C tournament will take place February 17-20.
