Busy schedule for Perkins County roundballers

The Perkins County Plainsmen boys added another win to their record Monday with a 69-34 over Kimball to improve to 8-10.

It’s been another busy stretch for the Plainsmen. Last week, they added games with Holyoke and Sedgwick County, Colorado. 

The Colorado teams just began their basketball season after the new year due to coronavirus restrictions. 

Monday’s game at Kimball was also a make-up game after they had to shut down their program during much of December due to coronavirus. 

The Plainsmen returned to their home floor Tuesday when they played host to 11-7 Maxwell.

On Saturday, they travel to Big Springs to face 6-9 South Platte. 

Head Coach Shawn Cole said it’s key to finish up with some wins to secure the home court advantage for the D1-14 subdistrict later this month. 

The top-seeded team in the subdistrict, based on wildcard points, gets to host the tournament. The other teams include Garden County, Leyton and Morrill.

Right now, Perkins County would be the top seed and tourney host, with Morrill the primary contender.

Colorado teams

The Plainsmen played host to Holyoke last Tuesday, followed up with the Sedgwick County game here Thursday. 

The Plainsmen came out on the short end of both games, falling to Holyoke 51-44 and Sedgwick County 55-35.

Cole said he was disappointed with the Plainsmen’s effort in those two games. 

He said his team “didn’t come out with a lot of energy” against Holyoke.

He knew both games were going to be tough. Holyoke returned much of their squad from last year while Sedgwick County proved to be bigger and more physical for the Plainsmen.

Cole didn’t see Holyoke coming out as hot as they did, making four of six three pointers in the first quarter alone.

At the other end, the Plainsmen were 0-5 outside the arc and just 2-7 inside the arc, forcing them to play catch-up, falling behind 18-6 after the first eight minutes. 

The Plainsmen cut into the deficit in both the second and third quarters, outscoring Holyoke 13-9 in the second and 14-11 in the third.

To open the fourth, Triston Hite pulled the Plainsmen to within two 36-38 on a three-point play off the fast break.

Holyoke reopened a 43-36 lead before Hite added another three-point play and layup to pull the Plainsmen back within two, 41-43.

Holyoke dropped a trey to go up five midway in the fourth. 

Over the next two minutes, the Plainsmen added a free throw from Hunter Garner and a bucket by Ian Picquet to pull back within two, 44-46. 

However, that would be as close as the Plainsmen could come to rallying back, falling 44-51.

Shooting hurt the Plainsmen, going just 3-20 outside the arc and 12-34 inside the arc to finish at just 26% compared to Holyoke’s 36%.

Garner led the scoring for the Plainsmen with 17. Hayden Foster followed with 12.

The Plainsmen got off to another slow start against Sedgwick County Thursday, falling behind 21-7 after eight minutes of play. 

Sedwick County added two more to their lead at halftime, 35-19, and six more in third to put the game out of reach. 

Garner and Hite lead the scoring, finishing with 28 of the team’s 35, including 16 by Garner and 12 from Hite.

At Kimball Monday, the Plainsmen jumped out to a 26-14 lead after the first quarter and built their lead to 23 going into halftime, 47-24.

They held Kimball to three in the third and seven in the fourth  en route to the  69-34 win.

Three Plainsmen finished in double figures led by Garner with 21. Hite and Hayden Foster each finished with 12.