Bulldogs face off against SD teams

The Bulldog boys' basketball team faced off against a seasoned Hill City squad and couldn't overcome their hot shooting, falling by a final score of 61-47 on Saturday afternoon. 

The game started with Hill City coming out on fire, draining multiple three-pointers to put the Bulldogs down in the early minutes of play. Hill City held the slight lead as the first quarter drew to a close, but Parker Skeens provided the Bulldogs a much-needed boost, sinking a buzzer-beating shot from half court to cut Hill City's lead to four, 20-16, at the end of the first quarter.

Hill City continued their offensive dominance throughout the rest of the game, pulling away as the Bulldogs struggled to match their energy. Although the Bulldogs couldn't pull off the win, falling 61-47, a late-game surge highlighted their determination and fight. 

Key contributors for the Bulldogs included Parker Skeens, who led the team with 18 points, Jake Schommer with 11 and Kade Mills adding 10. 

The Bulldogs will regroup this week as they look forward to conference play, traveling to Wright and hosting the Big Horn Rams on Saturday. 

Lady Bulldogs

The Lady Bulldogs had an eventful week on the court, splitting their matchups against two teams from across the border, the Harding County Ranchers and the Hill City Rangers. 

In their opening game against the Ranchers, the Lady Bulldogs put up a strong fight in the first half. After eight minutes of play, the score was tied at 13, but the Ranchers were turning up the defensive pressure. Out-scoring the Bulldogs 19-7 in the second quarter, the Ranchers seized a 36-20 lead heading into the halftime break.

The Rancher momentum carried over into the third quarter, where the Lady Bulldogs struggled offensively, managing just one point. The Ranchers capitalized on the offensive drought and cruised to a decisive 68-36 victory. 

Saturday brought a fresh challenge as the Lady Bulldogs and their fans braved the cold to host the Hill City Rangers. 

The game began with both teams cautiously feeling each other out. By halftime, Hill City held a 29-20 lead. The Lady Bulldogs, however, ramped up their intensity in the second half, taking advantage of key Ranger mistakes.

Chipping away at the deficit, the Bulldogs closed the gap to 35-31 by the end of the third quarter, setting the stage for a nail-biting final quarter. It was a back and forth to open the final eight minutes of play.

With just 1:14 left in the game and the score tied at 41, Jude Crago tipped a Hill City inbounds pass under the basket to Blakely Gill, who scored, giving the Bulldogs a 45-43 lead. In the ensuing chaos, the Rangers committed another foul, sending Jaylin Mills to the free-throw line.

Mills calmly sank both bonus shots, extending the Bulldogs' lead 47-43 with just under a minute remaining. 

The Rangers hopes were dashed as two critical inbounds turnovers forced them to foul once again, allowing the Bulldogs to sink their free throws and close out the game. Free-throw shooting proved to be a key factor in the 49-41 win, with the Bulldogs making 23 of their 35 attempts, 23 of which came in the second half. 

With the win over the Rangers, the Lady Bulldogs increased their record to 8-5 for the season. The team will start conference play this week as they travel to Wright on Friday and Host the Big Horn Rams on Saturday. 

Stats

SHS Boys 47, Hill City 61:

Scoring: Skeens 18 (2/3 FT, 2/6 3pt), Schommer 11 (2/2 FT, 1/3 3pt), Mills 10 (2/4 3pt), Watt 3 (1/1 FT), Downey 2 (2/3 FT), Lenz 2, Krell 1 (1/2 FT)

Rebound leaders: Mills 6, Gill 5, Watt 5

Assist leaders: Watt 3, Gill 3

Steals: Mills 2, Krell 1, Lenz 1, Skeens 1, Schommer 1

SHS 36, Harding County 68:

Scoring: Mills 19 (5/6 FT, 4/9 3pt), Neiman 8 (2/2 FT, 0/1 3pt), Gill 4, A. Marchant 2, Karol 2 (2/4 FT, 0/1 3pt), K. Marchant 1 (1/4 FT, 0/1 3pt)

Rebound Leaders: Mills 7, K. Marchant 6, Cooney 4, Gill 4

Steal Leaders: K. Marchant 4, Mills 3

Blocks: K. Marchant 1

SHS Girls 49, Hill City 41:

Scoring: Mills 23 (14/19 FT, 1/6 3pt), Karol 7 (3/6 FT), A. Marchant 6 (3/4 FT, 1/3 3pt), K. Marchant 5 (1/4 FT, 0/3 3pt), Gill 4, Cooney 2 (2/2FT)

Rebound leaders: Mills 5, Gill 4, Neiman 3

Steals: K. Marchant 3, Karol 1, Mills 1