The Harlem Wildcats were back in action this past Friday as they played a couple of District 1B foes. Friday the Wildcats were in Rocky Boy where they fell to the Stars in a hard fought 74-62 contest. Saturday they were back home playing in front of the home town crowd and turned in a comfortable 77-51 win over the Cut Bank Wolves.

In the Wildcats first meeting with the Stars, they weren't as competitive as they had hoped to be, they were also shorthanded. Friday they were back at full strength as they headed to Rocky Boy, but the team had to knock off some rust having been sidelined for a week by Covid-19 protocols.

Senior Teagan LeValdo drained a pair of triples in the first and senior RJ Ramone connected on a long ball as well, but it was the Stars that held a 25-13 lead heading into the second quarter.

Ramone nearly led the Wildcats all the way back before the break scoring 11 points in the second quarter. Senior DeShon Shambo and LeValdo each knocked down three-balls cutting the deficit to 40-38 by intermission.

After the break it was the Stars that controlled the action, slowly building back their lead. Rocky Boy maintained a 56-50 lead at the end of three and closed out the game with a strong fourth quarter to defeat the Wildcats 74-62. While Harlem didn't get the win, they played much better.

Ramone led the Harlem squad with 19 points in the contest. LeValdo finished with 13 and senior Tyler Cichosz added nine in the loss.

Saturday, in the Jungle, The Wildcats were looking to even their season series with the Cut Bank Wolves. Harlem dropped the first game of the season in Cut Bank 61-55 while they were severely shorthanded. The second meeting was a completely different story.

Saturday night Ramone and Shambo each established their range with early three balls and the defense played exceptionally well in a first quarter that ended with Harlem on top of the Wolves 12-5.

The Wildcats doubled their output in the second quarter while the defense maintained its intensity. Ramone again connected from distance and Cichosz found his mark for seven points before the half. A 24 point second quarter outburst by the Wildcats led the way to a 36-23 halftime advantage.

Wildcat senior DeShon Shambo comes up with the loose ball during action against Rocky Boy.

Ramone connected twice more from beyond the arc and scored 10 in the third quarter. Cichosz continued his strong play and the lead ballooned 57-36 with eight minutes remaining. Harlem scored 20 in the fourth quarter in securing a lop sided 77-51 win over the visiting Wolves.

Ramone again paced the Wildcat effort, this time with 24 points in the contest. Cichosz finished with 17 while Shambo scored 12. The Wildcats will be at home this Saturday as they welcome the Wolf Point Wolves to the Jungle. On Monday, February 7, the Wildcats will be in Malta taking on the District No. 1 Mustangs in a game that was rescheduled.