Plainsmen defeat Maxwell; fall to Cambridge and Cozad

Down to the wire at the end of the season, the Plainsmen boys have just one more regular season game before subdistricts begin. The team stayed busy with three games last week and played Creek Valley last night, Feb. 5.

Two home games against Maxwell and Cambridge kept the team off the road until Saturday when they headed for Cozad. Tuesday night’s game against the Storm was the final home game this year. 

Before the Creek Valley game, the boys sat at a 9-11 record. 

Maxwell

Jan. 29’s game against the Maxwell Wildcats earned the Plainsmen a win, 54-41. 

A close game was a bit of a nail biter for the fans who watched both teams take the lead back and forth and the scoreboard stayed tight. The Plainsmen had the lead by one at the end of the first, 5-4. The second quarter heated up when the Wildcats put up 16, enough to put them in the lead by two, as the Plainsmen added just 13. Halftime score was 20-18, Maxwell. 

The Plainsmen offense was back in the third where they saw another 13 go up. The defense held the Wildcats to six, taking back the lead, 31-26.

The battle intensified in the fourth quarter and the Wildcats did their best to take the game, adding 15 points to their side of the board. However, it was the Plainsmen offense who took their score to 54 by the end of the game who came out with the victory. 

Alex Patrick with 25 points, was the top scorer of the game, followed by senior Spencer Ross who had seven assists and contributed 17 points for the Plainsmen, including two 3-pointers. 

Aaron Fay added five points for PC and had nine rebounds. 

Triston Hite also put up a 3-pointer and an additional basket for five points, and Caleb Lagler had two. 

Cambridge

Friday night’s game against the Cambridge Trojans saw back-and-forth competition in the first, resulting in a tie going into the second quarter of the game, 14-14. 

The Plainsmen were able to put up 16, however, the Trojans took the lead after adding 18 for a 32-30 halftime score.

Cambridge out-scored the Plainsmen by two again in the third, and it was the fourth quarter that saw PC let the lead really slip away when they allowed the Trojans 14 points while only adding four. 

Cambridge took the 61-47 win. 

Ross was the team leader with 14 points, seven rebounds, and six assists during Friday’s game, and Patrick was a close second with 13 points. Patrick also had four rebounds, an assist and a steal. Fay hit three triple-point shots for nine points and junior Alex Poppe contributed seven points and had five rebounds, two assists and a steal. Lagler was 2/2 adding four points for the Plainsmen.

Cozad

Saturday, Feb. 2 was an away game for the Plainsmen, traveling to Cozad to battle the 15-4 Haymakers.

From the beginning, Cozad took control of the game and by the end of the first, had taken their score to 18-8 over the Plainsmen. 

The second quarter was a bigger struggle for the Plainsmen, as the offense managed to put up seven, however, the defense allowed 28 for the Haymakers for a halftime lead 46-15.

Six points went up for the Plainsmen in the third, and seven in the final quarter of the game, but Cozad took the victory, 77-18. The Plainsmen had a total of 21 turnovers in the game that contributed to the loss. 

Ross was the top scorer of the game with 14, and also had five rebounds and two assists. Patrick scored seven points in the game and had five rebounds, one assist and one steal. Fay hit a trey and put another in the bucket for a total of five points in the game. 

Next action

The last regular season game for Perkins County will be on the road. Bridgeport will host the Plainsmen on Feb. 15 at 4 p.m. MT.

Subdistrict action for boys basketball will be Feb. 18-21, and districts will be held Feb. 25. 

Boys’ state is set for March 7-9.