It was another busy week of hoops in the conference. Some games early in the week and late in the week were canceled or postponed, but a number of games were played. Let's check out this week's blog below.
Alma
Alma had a slate of games against solid opponents and ended up suffering their first loss of the season. First, they played Amherst, the #1 team in C2. They lost 59-38. It was a poor three or four minutes in the third quarter, otherwise the Cardinals played well. Zavier Mitchell led Alma with 13 points in the game.
Alma bounced back though on Thursday night and beat Hi-Line 52-26. They dominated the game from the jump and didn't look back. Tucker Biskup led the way for Alma with 20 points and Jakin Neal had 13 points and seven rebounds.
The Cardinals faced Hitchcock County on Friday night which was an RPAC Rundown Featured Matchup. You can read the game story here.
Alma is now 13-1 and will play at Loomis on Thursday before the RPAC Tournament. They are the favorites to come out of the East in the RPAC and rightfully so, they have had a great season thus far. They will have a bye as the #1 seed on the East side in the opening round and then play either #5 Bertrand or #4 Southern Valley on Tuesday, January 23rd in Bertrand at 6:00 P.M.
Arapahoe
The Warriors played twice this past week and split the games. First, they took on Loomis and lost, 69-52. Kade Fisher and Trenton Roskop had big games as they each scored 21 points. Roskop totaled 10 rebounds too.
The Warriors then faced Hi-Line and won, 56-51. Arapahoe had three players in double figures as Will Cacy led the team with 19 points, Kade Fisher had 15, and Trenton Roskop added 11.
Arapahoe will be a team to watch as the season rolls on, you never know, they may catch fire in the RPAC Tournament. They are 8-6 and will play Axtell Tuesday at home, and then at Southern Valley Thursday, and then the RPAC Tournament begins. They are the #3 seed on the East side and will play #6 seeded Medicine Valley on Saturday, January 20th at 6:30 P.M. at Medicine Valley.
Bertrand
Bertrand had a couple of games this week and ended up going 1-1. First, they played Southwest on Friday and won a close game, 47-40. The Vikings then played Overton and lost, 62-48.
The Vikings are 5-7 now and will be at Maywood-Hayes Center on Thursday before the conference tournament. That will be an RPAC Rundown Featured Matchup. This is the time each year Bertrand starts to heat up, conference time so we will see what Coach Craig Newcomb can scheme up going forward. The Vikings are the #5 seed on the East side and will play #4 seeded Southern Valley in Medicine Valley on January 20th at 12:30 P.M. in the first round.
Cambridge
Cambridge had just one game on Friday and their Saturday game versus Maxwell was canceled. First, they battled Sutherland and won 61-17. Brohedy Wood was excellent with 13 points and 10 rebounds to lead Cambridge. 11 players scored for Cambridge.
The Trojans are 9-4 and will play DCS on the road Thursday before the conference tournament. This is a team that could make some noise in the tournament too coming up this week and next. They have been inconsistent as of late, but they have potential. Cambridge is the #2 seed on the East side and will play #7 seeded Southwest at 3:30 P.M. at Medicine Valley.
Dundy County Stratton
The Tigers of DCS won twice this past week with games against Hitchcock County and Loomis. In their win over the Falcons, the score read 61-48. It was tied at 30-30 at the intermission. But a 31-18 second half allowed the Tigers to pull away. Lane Bybee had 23 and Jackson Kerchal scored 20.
On Saturday they played Loomis on a frigid day, but the Tigers stayed hot. They won over Loomis, 75-66. Kerchal was an animal, with 27 points and 19 rebounds in the game.
DCS is 10-3 and will play Wallace on Tuesday night on the road, and then host Cambridge on Thursday night.
They are the #2 seed on the West side and will play #7 seeded Wauneta-Palisade on Saturday at 3:30 P.M. in Wallace.
Hitchcock County
Hitchcock County had a pair of tough opponents this week and fell in both of them. First, they lost to Dundy County Stratton 61-48. The Falcons were tied up at 30-30 after two quarters. But, DCS took the lead in the second half and didn't look back.
Then, the Falcons played Alma and that was an RPAC Rundown Featured Matchup and you can read that here.
Hitchcock County is 6-6 and will play Paxton on Tuesday ahead of the RPAC Tournament. In the RPAC Tourney, they are the #4 seed on the West side and will play #5 seeded Wallace at 6:30 P.M. on Saturday, January 20th in Wallace.
Maywood-Hayes Center
The Wolves had two games last week and captured wins in both of their matchups. On Tuesday they beat Maxwell 60-34. They led by just one after the first quarter, but after that, they kicked it on and took over. Three Wolves were in double figures as Jaxon Anders had 16, Jeremiah Ingison had 14, and Haydn Farr tallied 12.
MHC played Sandhills-Thedford and won in overtime 61-54. MHC was up 39-32 going into the final period. The Knights outscored MHC 16-9 in the fourth to tie it up. But, a 13-6 OT period sealed the victory for MHC.
The Wolves are 12-2 and will play Bertrand on Thursday at home, which is an RPAC Rundown Featured Matchup.
MHC is the #1 seed in the West and will have a bye in the first round. They will play either #4 seeded Hitchcock County or #5 seeded Wallace on Tuesday, January 23rd at 6:00 P.M. in Maxwell.
Maxwell
Maxwell had a pretty light week since they had games postponed due to the weather. On Tuesday they fell to MHC 60-34. They trailed 12-11 after the first eight minutes, but couldn't keep up. Cole Huffman scored 12 points to lead the Wildcats.
Their next two games on Friday versus South Loup and Cambridge on Saturday were postponed/canceled. Maxwell is 1-10 and will play at home versus Brady on Tuesday and then at home on Thursday versus Sandhills Valley before the RPAC Tournament.
In the RPAC Tourney, they are the #6 seed on the West side and will play #3 seeded Paxton at 12:30 P.M. in Wallace on Tuesday, January 23rd.
Medicine Valley
The Raiders had just one game this week and it was a win versus Sandhills Valley. They broke a six-game losing streak taking the matchup 52-49. Four Raiders were in double figures as Brody Senff scored 14, Ethan Brown and Mason Roblee had 11, and Lucas Einspahr had 10. Senff had 10 rebounds too.
Their game against Mullen was postponed. The Raiders are 4-7 and will play Hi-Line on the road Thursday before the RPAC Tournament. The Raiders are the #6 seed on the East side and will battle #3 seeded Arapahoe on Saturday, January 20th at 6:30 P.M.
Paxton
The Tigers played one game on Friday this week. Their game against Creek Valley on Tuesday was postponed. In their game against Wallace, they won, 72-46. At Halftime the Tigers had a one-point lead, 31-30. But a 41-16 second half propelled the Tigers to victory.
Four Tigers were in double figured as Josh Eakins had 24 on 10-13 shooting, Tanner Hebblewaite had 14, Jasper Brewster scored 14, and Maddex McConnell scored 10.
Paxton is now 7-5, a team to watch as we approach conference tournament time. They will play at Hitchcock County on Tuesday, and host Wauneta-Palisade on Thursday before tournament play. Paxton is the #3 seed in the West and will take on #6 seeded Maxwell on Saturday, January 20th in Wallace at 12:30 P.M.
Southern Valley
The Eagles had one game this last week, on Friday and lost to Holdrege 77-61. Southern Valley hung around close for three quarters, as it was 54-45 going to the final stanza. But a 23-16 final quarter separated the Dusters from the Eagles.
Isaac Hamilton had a nice game with 20 points on 7-11 shooting. Tate Weatherwax had 14, Tylor Grove had 11, and Rian Grove scored 11.
Southern Valley is 6-7, a team that could cause opponents problems going forward with a number of players that can score. They have Arapahoe on Thursday before the RPAC Tournament. The Eagles are the #4 seed in the East and will take on #5 seeded Bertrand on Saturday, January 20th at 12:30 P.M. from Medicine Valley.
Southwest
Southwest played a pair of games this past week and dropped both of them. They began with a 47-40 loss to Bertrand on Friday night. Following that game, they played Hi-Line on Saturday and lost 59-39.
The Roughriders are 4-10, but with their ability to shoot the ball from Houston Billeter, and athletes like Hunter Blume and Nathan Rippe, they could reel off some wins. They will play Bird City-Cheylin, KS at home on Tuesday night.
The Roughriders are the #7 seed on the East side and will play #2 seeded Cambridge on Saturday, January 20th at Medicine Valley High School at 3:30 P.M.
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Wallace
The Wildcats had a pair of games this past week and went 1-1. First they hosted South Platte on Thursday and won by a narrow margin, 57-56. The Wildcats were down 28-24 at halftime and clawed their way back to get the victory. Matt Lungrin had 23 points, Ashtin Johns had 10, and Conner Kennicutt had 10.
Then, the Wildcats lost to Paxton on Friday, 72-46. Wallace trailed by only one going to the half, but in the final two quarters, they couldn't keep up. Lungrin had 18 points in the loss.
Wallace is 6-8 and will play DCS on Tuesday before the RPAC Tournament. They are the #5 seed on the West side and will play #4 seeded Hitchcock County on Saturday at 6:30 P.M. in Wallace.
Wauneta-Palisade
The Broncos continue to play hard, but can't capture that elusive first win of the season. Their game against Garden County was canceled on Saturday, but they played Perkins County on Friday. They dropped the game, 62-24.
They are 0-11 and will play Paxton on Thursday before the RPAC Tournament. In the conference tourney, on the west side, they are the #7 seed and will play #2 seeded Dundy County Stratton on Saturday, January 20th at 3:30 P.M. in Wallace.
Here are the RPAC Tournament Brackets for the Boys. NOTE ALL TIMES ARE CST*
