It was a great weekend on the hardwood for our two Blaine County Schools in action as the Harlem Wildcats improved to 3-0 with a 86-57 thumping of the Cut Bank Wolves and the Chinook Sugarbeeters started 2-0 with wins over the Malta Mustangs, 64-50 and the Shepherd Mustangs 70-45.

The Chinook Sugarbeeters finally got their opportunity to begin the 2019-20 basketball season this past weekend at the Coyote Preseason Tournament in Shelby. Friday they kicked things off with a contest against the District 2B Malta Mustangs.

The 'Beeters opened the season early Friday with a mid-morning contest against the Malta Mustangs. Senior Hunter Neibauer scored six first quarter points and junior Ethan Bell added four as the 'Beeters took an early 13-6 lead.

Neibauer added six more in the second, including a dagger from beyond the arc and sophomore Toby Niederegger scored a pair of buckets helping the Sugarbeeters extend their advantage to 30-20 by the end of the first half.

Looking to take control of the contest, Chinook tacked on 18 third quarter points, getting six more from Neibauer and a half dozen from Junior Reese Elliot as they took a 48-35 lead into the fourth quarter.

Chinook maintained their steady and consistent attack down the stretch outscoring the Mustangs 16-15 to secure a 64-50 season opening win. Neibauer finished with a game high 22 points to go along with 11 rebounds. Niederegger had a big game as well for the 'Beeters, scoring 12 points, collecting eight rebounds, dishing out five assists as well as recording five steals. Bell added 11 points to the 'Beeter effort in the win.

Saturday the 'Beeters took on the Shepherd Mustangs looking to continue their solid play. Elliot started strong for the 'Beeters controlling the paint early on. Elliot scored 13 first quarter points and Chinook put 27 on the scoreboard to take a commanding 27-4 lead into the second quarter of action.

Neibauer knocked down a long triple and scored 11 second quarter points. Bell added a three point bomb as well and Chinook put 22 more points on the board to take a resounding 49-14 lead into the halftime locker room.

Chinook would slow things down after the break and coast to a lopsided 70-45 win over the mustangs. The 'Beeters had three players in double figures, led by Neibauer and Elliot with 16 apiece. Bell added 14 in the win. Neibauer also cleaned the glass for 12 rebounds and recorded 4 steals in the contest.

The Harlem Wildcats traveled to Cut Bank Thursday, looking to keep the momentum going after a strong start to the season at the Native American Classic the opening weekend.

The Wildcats got seven points apiece from sophomores Tyler Cichosz and RJ Ramone to take a 17-14 lead after eight minutes of action. Harlem was able to extend the advantage to 39-30 at the end of the first half.

Both teams matched the others effort basket for basket in the third quarter allowing the Wildcats to maintain their nine point cushion heading into the final quarter, 56-47. The Wildcats would close out the contest with a scoring flurry. Senior Brad Cichosz scored 12 down the stretch and Tyler Cichosz added nine, lifting Harlem to a 30 point fourth quarter outburst and a 86-57 win.

Tyler Cichosz finished with a game high 26 points for the Wildcats, Ramone added 20 in the win and Brad Cichosz accounted for 16 in the win. Harlem continues their hot start to the season, improving to 3-0.

All four Blaine County teams will be in action this weekend as the teams head into the holiday break. The Sugarbeeters will be at home Friday in their District 9C opener, hosting the Big Sandy Pioneers. Saturday the 'Beeters will head to Box Elder to challenge the Bears. The Harlem Wildcats will close out 2019 with a pair of home contests. Friday night they open District 2B play with a contest against the Malta Mustangs. Saturday they will host the Wolf Point Wolves.

The Hays/Lodge Pole Thunderbirds return to the court this Friday in a home contest as they begin their District 9C schedule against the North Star Knights. Saturday the Thunderbirds will travel to Big Sandy to take on the Pioneers. The Turner Tornadoes close out 2019 with their District 9C opener taking place in Fort Benton Friday when they face the Longhorns. Saturday the Tornadoes will host the Chester/Joplin-Inverness in their home opener.

The season this winter is a week later than normal and in the past the teams had six games under their belt heading into the holiday break giving coaches a solid idea of where their team was at. With only four games before the break these two conference games coming up this weekend will carry a bit more weight heading into the break.

Teams will spend time with their families over the holidays for sure but coaches and players alike will still be in the gym working to prepare for the remainder of the season.

All four teams will be back in action early in the new year. Chinook will return to the court on Friday, January 3 with a road contest in Chester against the C/J-I Hawks. Turner will see their first action of the new year on January 3 as well when they host the Dodson Coyotes in a non-conference tilt. The Wildcats will play their first game in 2020 on Saturday, January 4 when they take the Rocky Boy Stars at home. Hays/Lodge Poles first contest of the new year will be at home January 3 against the Fort Benton Longhorns.

The regular season concludes February 15 and the District 2B and 9C Tournaments take place the following weekend. The district 9C will again be in Havre, February19-22. The District 2B will be in Malta February 21-22. The top four finishers at the District 2B and top three finishers at the District 9C will advance to the Divisional Tournaments the following week.

Chinook 64 Malta 50

Malta 6 14 15 15 - 50

Chinook 13 17 18 16 - 64

Malta - Kinyon Stiles 0 0-0 0, Kooper Okerart 6 2-4 17, Darrow Messerly 0 0-0 0, Ben Costin 3 3-4 11, Rex Williamson 4 0-0 8, Tanner Smith 2 4-4 8, Tuss Conner 2 0-0 6, Pierce Mortenson 0 0-0 0. Team Totals 17 9-12 50.

Chinook - Ethan Bell 5 1-4 11, Hunter Neibauer 9 3-4 22, Damon Hannum 0 0-0 0, Braden Eoff 0 0-0 0, Benton Elliot 0 1-2 1, Toby Niederegger 5 1-3 12, Reese Elliot 3 3-8 9, Ethan MacLeod 1 1-3 3, Oskar Pula 3 0-0 6, Hunter Molyneaux 0 0-0 0.. Team Totals 26 10-24 64.

Three Point Field Goals - Malta 7 (Kooper Okerart 3, Ben Costin 2, Tuss Conner 2), Chinook 2 (Hunter Neibauer 1, Toby Niederegger 1); Team Fouls - Malta 18, Chinook 15; Fouled Out - Malta (Pierce Mortenson), Chinook (Reese Elliot).

Chinook 70 Shepard 45

Shepherd 4 10 17 14 - 45

Chinook 27 22 8 13 - 70

Shepherd - Malachi Warneke 2 0-0 4, Hayes Nydegger 3 0-0 7, Logan Murray 2 1-1 5, Karter Michels 3 1-3 7, Colt Hando 5 2-2 12, Jaxon DeHaven 1 4-7 6, Colten Allen 2 0-0 4. Team Totals 18 8-13 45.

Chinook - Ethan Bell 6 1-2 14, Hunter Neibauer 7 1-2 16, Damon Hannum 2 0-0 5, Braden Eoff 0 0-0 0, Benton Elliot 2 2-2 6, Toby Niederegger 3 1-2 7, Reese Elliot 7 2-4 16, Ethan MacLeod 1 2-3 4, Oskar Pula 1 0-0 2, Hunter Molyneaux 0 0-0 0. Team Totals 29 9-15.

Three Point Field Goals - Shepherd 1 (Hayes Nydegger 1), Chinook 3 (Hunter Neibauer 1, Ethan Bell 1, Damon Hannum 1); Team Fouls - Shepherd 14, Chinook 16; Fouled Out - None.

Harlem 86 Cut Bank 57

Cut Bank 14 16 17 10 - 57

Harlem 17 22 17 30 - 86

Wildcat sophomore Tyler Cichosz scores in the paint during the Wildcats 86-57 win over District 1B Rival Cut Bank on the road Thursday night. Cichosz finished with a game high 26 points in the win.

Cut Bank - Devin Gobert 6 2-4 15, Hayden Harrell 3 3-5 10, Nicholas Gray 1 0-0 2, Dawson Vasboe 3 0-0 6, C. Burdeau 2 1-2 5, Coalter Littrell 3 2-2 8,C. Racki 2 4-11 8, Dillon Gray 0 1-2 1Dayne Barbie 0 2-3 2. Team Totals 20 15-29 57.

Harlem - Brad Cichosz 6 3-3 16, Tyler Cichosz 8 8-11 26, RJ Ramone 8 0-0 20, Daniel Lawrence 4 1-2 9, Trent Main 0 1-4 1, Truth Brockie 1 1-2 3, Jeihton Long Fox 1 3-5 5, Cassius Johnson 1 1-2 3, Teagan LeValdo 0 0-0 0, Amari Stanley 1 1-2 3. Team Totals 30 20-30 86.

Three Point Field Goals - Cut Bank 2 (Devin Gobert 1 Hayden Harrell 1), Harlem 10 (Brad Cichosz 3, RJ Ramone 3, Tyler Cichosz 3, Daniel Lawrence 1); Team Fouls - Cut Bank 26, Harlem 23; Fouled Out - Cut Bank ( Dawson Vasboe, C. Rackie).