February means it is the stretch run for the basketball regular season.
Otis High School’s boys basketball team enters this week 8-4 and No. 11 in the CHSAA 1A Selection & Seeding Index. The Bulldogs are at Arickaree on Friday, and hosts Hi-Plains on Saturday before Lone Star comes to town Tuesday.
They split two games last week, beginning with a 73-33 home win over Weldon Valley. It was never close as the Bulldogs led 61-16 by halftime. Dalton DeMers had 14 points, Mitchell Stivers 12 points and three steals, Gracen Bechtle 12 points, four rebounds and four steals, Austin Hornung eight points and three assists, Milo Kendrick seven points and five rebounds, Gavin Price seven points, Cambric Klinzmann six oints and three rebounds, Kelan Mandel \three points, Grady Bechtle two points and three assists, and Aiden Horinek two points.
Otis lost 47-35 at No. 4 Prairie last Friday. Grady Bechtle had eight points and nine rebounds, DeMers eight points and three rebounds, Hornung six points and two rebounds, Gracen Bechtle six points and four assists, Price four points and two steals, Klinzmann three points and four rebounds, and Stivers four rebounds.
ARICKAREE
Arickaree’s boys basketball team entered February an even 7-7 and No. 23 in the CHSAA 1A Selection & Seeding Index.
The Bison host Otis on Friday, then welcome Burlington on Tuesday.
They opened last week’s action with a 54-25 win at Lone Star. They led 36-7 at halftime. Jackson Cordell had 17 points and four rebounds, Bradley Hermes 16 points, nine steals, six rebounds and six assists, Daniel Goff 14 points and six rebounds, Wyatt Sperry five points and three assists, Collin Codman two points and two rebounds.
Arickaree lost two home games over the weekend. The first was a 68-27 home loss to Byers, highly ranked in 2A, last Friday. Statistics were not available.
The Bison then lost a key game Saturday afternoon to Idalia, 50-42. Statistics were not available.
LONE STAR BOYS
Lone Star’s boys basketball team is hoping to add to its win total entering the season’s final weeks.
The Longhorns were 2-8 heading into their game at Caliche earlier this week. They host Potter-Dix, Nebraska, on Thursday and Bethune on Saturday, before traveling to Otis on Tuesday.
They hosted Arickaree earlier last week, losing 54-25 after falling behind significantly in the first half.
James Smith had 11 points and two rebounds, Anderson Weathers 10 points and five rebounds, Will Mollohan three points, Trevor Schoepner one point and six rebounds, and Ian Pastor seven rebounds.
LONE STAR GIRLS
The Lone Star girls basketball team entered February on the lower quadrant of possible regional qualifiers.
The Longhorns were 4-6 and No. 26 in the CHSAA 1A Selection and Seeding Index heading into its game at No. 7 Caliche earlier this week. They host Potter-Dix, Nebraska, on Thursday and Bethune on Saturday before traveling to Otis on Tuesday.
The Caliche game was their first one since playing Idalia on January 22.
OTIS GIRLS
The Otis High School girls basketball team entered this week with a 2-10 record.
The Bulldogs host Hi-Plains on Saturday, and welcome Lone Star on Tuesday.
They lost 50-46 to Weldon Valley earlier last week in Otis. They held a 36-28 lead after three quarters but were outscored 22-10 in the fourth. Mireia Fernandez had 13 points and eight rebounds, Lydia Willeke 11 points, nine rebounds and four steals, Ashton Gross 10 points and eight rebounds, Kensley Packer three points, four rebounds and four assists, and Madison Reynolds two points and four steals.
Otis played at No. 11 Prairie last Friday, losing 57-14. Fernandez had six points and four rebounds, Reynolds four points, Willeke two points and 10 rebounds, and Gross two points and five rebounds.