‘Riders fall to Raiders, Wolves
The Southwest Boys’ Roughriders basketball team opened its season with road game against Medicine Valley on Thursday, Dec. 3. The Raiders outscored the Roughriders, 66-34. The Roughriders then traveled to Maywood/Hayes Center for a game Saturday, Dec. 5. The Roughriders were again outscored, 62-26, to start the season 0-2.
In the opening game, Southwest kept things close in the first quarter, with Medicine Valley leading 11-7 at the end of the first. The closest quarter was the second, when Med Valley outscored the Roughriders by only three points. The Raiders pulled ahead in the second half to outscore the Roughriders 14-4 and 22-7 in the third and fourth quarters, respectively.
Sophomore Hunter Cunningham lead the Roughriders with 15 points in the competition, including one 3-pointer. Senior Justin Brush followed closely with 10 points. Freshman Nathan Rippe and sophomore Kaden Day followed with seven and two, respectively. Rippe chipped in one 3-pointer toward his seven total.
Sophomore Cole Barnett and Day grabbed three rebounds each to lead the team, while sophomore Kaiden Ruggles and Cunningham dished out two assists each. Defensively, Barnett led with three steals; senior Justin Brush and Ruggles each blocking two shots with Day blocking one for a total of five blocks for the team.
Saturday, Maywood/ Hayes Center took an early lead and never let up. The Wolves outscored the Roughriders 15-7 in the first quarter, 15-5 in the second, 11-2 in the third and 20-12 in the fourth.
Barnett led the team with 12 points. Rippe and Cunningham followed with four each. Barnett sunk the only 3-pointers for the Roughriders, contributing two.
Overall, the team was 2-of-10 from the arc, 8-of-34 inside and 4-of-9 from the free line.
Defensively, Ruggles led with seven rebounds, including two offensive and five defensive. Cunningham stole five balls and Brush blocked three shots.
The team will next compete at the Cattle Trail Invitational hosted at McCook Community College and McCook High School. The boys will face Dundy County at 8 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 8, at McCook Community College.
