Busy basketball week

SHS Girls

The Sundance girls' basketball team opened the new year with a bang, taking four wins in four games throughout the 2A East Challenge, which was held in Sundance this past weekend. Going against the southeastern half of the 2A conference, the Lady Bulldogs were up against Burns, Lingle-Ft. Laramie, Lusk and Pine Bluffs. 

On Friday, the team kicked off the Challenge facing the Burns Broncs. The Broncs started the game in a full court press, catching the Bulldogs off guard. The game remained tight throughout the first half of play with both teams trading basket for basket.

After gaining a one-point lead at halftime, the Bulldogs returned to the court with a renewed spirit and went on an 8-0 run to start the second half. The Broncs did not have an answer for the momentum shift, scoring only seven points throughout the third quarter, as the Bulldogs went on to take the 41-29 victory.

Sophomore Jaylin Mills helped with the momentum change throughout the second half, earning a double-double for the night with 20 points and 10 rebounds. 

The Sundance team had the Friday nightcap facing the Pine Bluffs Hornets. The Bulldogs found themselves in another tightly contested first half of play. Both aggressive teams were in foul trouble early, sending each other to the line for free throws. T

he Bulldogs struggled from the line throughout the first half, making only three of their ten opportunities, keeping the score deadlocked at 14 going into the break. However, the second half, once again brought a momentum shift in the Bulldogs' favor.

Mills again led the drive for the Bulldogs, putting up another double-double for the night, adding 18 points and securing 11 rebounds throughout the game. Savannah Williams also added four steals and seven points for the Bulldogs, helping them to a 36-29 victory over the Hornets.

On Saturday the 2A East Challenge concluded with the Bulldogs facing the Lusk Tigers and the Lingle-Ft. Laramie Doggers. Staying true to their nature, the Bulldogs took a quick 36-25 victory over the Tigers in their first matchup for the afternoon.

The Doggers, on the other hand, gave the Lady Bulldogs their toughest challenge of the weekend. Facing the Dogger's aggressive full-court press, and fast-paced offense, the Bulldogs struggled early. Finding stride throughout the second quarter of play the two teams traded baskets consistently and ended the second quarter with a 26-26 tie at halftime. 

In the second half, the Doggers maintained their relentless full-court press, taking a slight 41-37 lead throughout the third quarter. As the final eight minutes of play unfolded, the Bulldogs began to make their run, holding the Doggers scoreless for a four-minute stretch.

As tensions rose, the game remained neck and neck. With 42.2 seconds left on the clock, the Doggers were sent to the free throw line, sinking one of two free throws, and tying the score at 50. With the clock ticking down to 14.1 seconds, the Doggers fouled, sending Jaylin Mills to the free throw line.

Mills capitalized on the opportunity, sinking both shots, and giving the Bulldogs a 52-50 lead with only seconds remaining. In a last-ditch effort, the Doggers had a final opportunity with 7.4 seconds left, but a turnover on the inbound pass handed possession back to the Bulldogs.

The Sundance team maintained their composure and control of the ball as the final seconds ran down, securing a hard-fought 52-50 victory over the Lingle-Ft. Laramie Doggers. 

The Sundance Lady Bulldogs have another action-packed week as they host the Hulett Red Devils on Tuesday, followed by a road trip to Harding County on Thursday and play host once again on Saturday for Hill City. 

SHS Boys

The new year kicked off with a hectic schedule for the Bulldog boys, who were on the road for their first five games of 2024. Traveling to Newell, on Thursday of last week, gave the Bulldogs the opportunity to shake off the holiday dust, as they took a 58-19 victory over the Irrigators.

Keaton Mills led the team in scoring, notching up 16 points, closely followed by teammate Catch Downey who added 10. 

Friday and Saturday sent the Bulldogs boys south to participate in the 2A East Challenge. Going up against the southeastern teams in the 2A conference, the Bulldogs ended the Challenge with a split record, taking victories over Pine Bluffs and Burns, but falling to Lingle-Ft. Laramie and Lusk. 

The opening game for the Bulldogs was against the ever-tough Lingle-Ft. Laramie Doggers. Scoring droughts throughout the first and third quarters put the Bulldogs behind to start each quarter and the team could not recover from the initial deficits. The Doggers would go on to take a 70-54 victory. 

The Bulldogs, however, would not let one defeat stop them. On Friday night, the team took on the Pine Bluffs Hornets. These two teams kept the score close throughout four quarters of play. In the end, the Bulldogs secured the slight 56-53 victory over the Hornets.

Saturday seemed to mirror Friday as the Bulldogs split their games against the Lusk Tigers and Burns Broncs. The Bulldogs' matchup against the Tigers started with a slow offensive rhythm, putting only eight points on the board, to the Tigers' 20 throughout the first quarter of play.

However, a resurgence within the second quarter allowed the Bulldogs to turn the tide and close the gap, bringing the halftime score to 29-25, in favor of the Tigers. Despite the comeback, the game remained closely contested throughout the second half of play. Unfortunately, the Bulldogs' sluggish start proved to be too much and the Lusk Tigers took a 49-43 victory. 

The Bulldogs did close their weekend on a positive note, taking a 48-39 victory over the Burns Broncs. Throughout the game three Bulldog players made their way into double-digit scoring. Jake Schommer led the team, putting up 15 points, followed closely by Parker Skeens who added 11, and Eli Gill who had a double-double for the night, netting 12 points and securing 11 rebounds. 

Head coach Nick Olson summed up the weekend with the following: "I thought that the weekend went well, it was nice to see the competition in the 2A East. It's going to be a highly competitive conference this year from top to bottom. I don't think that there is a bad team."

The Sundance team will have a short break before they host the Hill City Rangers on Saturday this week. 

Stats

SHS Girls vs. Burns: 41-29

Scoring: Mills 20 (5/11 FT, 3/5 3pt), R. Marchant 7 (2/4 FT, 1/2 3pt), Jones 5 (3/4 FT), Banker 3 (1/2 FT), Williams 3 (1/6 3pt), L. Marchant 2, K. Marchant 1 (1/2 FT, 0/2 3pt)

Rebound Leaders: Mills 10, K. Marchant 6, L. Marchant 5

Steals: R. Marchant 4, Mills 4

SHS Girls vs. Pine Bluffs: 36-29

Scoring: Mills 18 (10/16 FT, 2/3 3pt), Williams 7 (1/4 3pt), Karol 4 (0/1 3pt), R. Marchant 3 (1/2 FT), L. Marchant 2, K. Marchant 1 (1/4 FT, 0/2 3pt), Jones 1 (1/2 FT)

Rebound Leaders: Mills 11, Jones 4, Karol 4

Steals: Mills 4, Williams 4, R. Marchant 3, K. Marchant 3

SHS Girls vs. Lusk: 36-25

Scoring: Williams 11 (3/7 3pt), K. Marchant 6 (4/8 FT), L. Marchant 6 (0/3 FT), Mills 6 (4/7 FT, 0/2 3pt), R. Marchant 3 (1/1 3pt), Jones 2, Karol 2 (0/2 FT)

Rebound Leaders: Mills 9, Banker 4

Steals: L. Marchant 3

Assists: Mills 3

SHS Girls vs. Linge-Ft. Laramie: 52-50

Scoring: Mills 15 (8/10 FT, 1/4 3pt), Williams 14 (4/8 3pt), K. Marchant 10 (2/4 FT, 2/2 3pt), R. Marchant 7 (1/2 3pt), L. Marchant 4, Jones 4, Karol 2 (0/1 3pt)

Rebound Leaders: Mills 8, L. Marchant 6, Banker 6

Steals: Mills 6

Assists: Mills 3

SHS Boys vs Newell: 58-19

Scoring: Mills 16 (2/2FT), Downey 10 (0/2 FT, 2/5 3pt), E. Gill 9 (3/4 FT), Kroll 7 (3/4 FT), Schommer 6 (0/1 3pt), Skeens 6 (0/2 FT), Lenz 4

Rebound Leaders: Downey 5, Banker 5

Assists: Banker 5, Skeens 2, Lenz 2, Mills 2, D. Gill 2

Steals: E. Gill 3, Schommer 2, Skeens 2, Lenz 2, Mills 2

SHS Boys vs Lingle-Ft. Laramie: 54-70

Scoring: Schommer 16 (2/8 3pt), Skeens 15 (1/1 FT, 0/2 3pt), Mills 14 (4/4 FT, 2/6 3pt), E. Gill 5 (1/2 FT), Watt 2, D. Gill 2

Rebound Leaders: E. Gill 6, Mills 4, Schommer 4

Assists: E. Gill 4

Steals: E. Gill 2, Skeens 2

SHS Boys vs. Pine Bluffs: 56-53

Stats not available

SHS Boys vs. Lusk: 43-49

Scoring: Skeens 13 (3/5 FT, 0/3 3pt), E. Gill 9 (5/6 FT), Schommer 8 (0/1 FT, 2/7 3pt), D. Gill 7 (0/2 FT, 1/3 3pt), Downey 3 (1/2 3pt), Lenz 3 (1/1 FT, 0/3 3pt)

Rebound Leaders: E. Gill 6, D. Gill 4, Schommer 4

Assists: D. Gill 2, Schommer 2

Steals: D. Gill 2, Schommer 2

SHS Boys vs Burns: 48-39

Scoring: Schommer 15 (1/4 FT, 2/6 3pt), E. Gill 12 (4/8 FT), Skeens 11 (4/10 FT, 1/7 3pt), D. Gill 6 (2/2FT), Watt 4 (0/2 FT, 0/2 3pt)

Rebound Leaders: E. Gill 11, Schommer 7, Watt 5, D. Gill 5

Assists: Lenz 3, Skeens 2

Steals: Skeens 2, E. Gill 2