Otis High School’s boys basketball team came up one win short of advancing to the 1A Great 8 again.
The Bulldogs saw their season come to an end last Saturday in the Sweet 16 with 64-59 overtime loss at Elbert. They finished with an 18-7 record.
Otis began regional play last Friday with a 61-47 win over Rocky Mountain Lutheran. The final score is misleading as the Bulldogs incredibly broke the half-century mark in the first quarter, leading 51-5. They pulled back after that, scoring 10 points over the final three quarters.
Austin Hornung had 19 points and four rebounds, Cambric Klinzmann 13 points and nine rebounds, Grady Bechtle 10 points, nine rebounds and six steals, Gracen Bechtle eight points and five rebounds, Dalton DeMers five points and five steals, Mitchell Stivers four points, three rebounds and three steals, and Gavin Price two points and five rebounds
Elbert, the host team, won its regional semifinal, setting up a battle of Bulldogs in the Sweet 16 showdown. Otis had opened the season with a 70-54 home win against Elbert.
The second meeting carried much-higher stakes, and both teams were up for the battle as the game went to overtime. Elbert got the upper hand in the extra session, handing the Bulldogs a 64-59 defeat.
Grady Bechtle had 22 points and 15 rebounds, Hornung eight points and six assists, Stivers eight points and two rebounds, Gracen Bechtle seven points and five rebounds, Price seven points and two rebounds, Klinzmann four points and eight rebounds, and DeMers three points and two rebounds.
The game concluded the high school careers of seniors Mitchell Stivers, Austin Hornung, Grady Bechtle and Dalton DeMers.
LONE STAR GIRLS
The Lone Star girls basketball team’s season came to an end in the 1A Round of 32.
The Longhorns made the short trip north to Fleming to take on the fifth-seed Wildcats, losing 62-35. Details and statistics were not available. Fleming proceeded to beat Idalia in the sweet 16 on Saturday, advancing to the Great 8 at UNC in Greeley this week.
Lone Star finished with an 8-14 record. The seniors on this season’s teams were Jade Kuntz, Paityn Forry and Aimee Trejo.
ARICKAREE BOYS
Arickaree’s boys basketball team was the 32nd-seed in the 1A regional field, meaning taking on No. 1 McClave last Friday in southeastern Colorado.
The Bison’s season came to an end with a 75-40 loss to the Cardinals, who also won 73-42 on Saturday to advance to the Great 8 at UNC in Greeley this week.
McClave led Arickaree 38-15 by halftime last Friday. The Bison put up 17 points in the fourth quarter. Arickaree stats were not available.
The Bison finished with a 10-14 record. Austin Wright was the only senior on this season’s team.