The Blaine County Journal News-Opinion - We've Got The County Covered

The week on the hardwood was a tough one for our Blaine County Boys basketball teams. The Chinook Sugarbeeters were in Gildford on Friday where they were handed a 68-46 setback. Saturday the 'Beeters fell to the Fort Benton Longhorns at home 49-38. The Turner Tornadoes lost to the Pioneers 88-58 in Big Sandy Friday and fell 49-41 to North Star at home on Saturday. The Hays/Lodge Pole Thunderbirds couldn't keep up with the Box Elder Bears at home Saturday in a 81-31 loss.

The Turner Tornadoes were in Big Sandy on Friday to take on the Pioneers. Turner got five points from junior Ryan Doyle early on but trailed at the end of one 19-8. Sophomore Caleb Zellmer and junior Trent Billmayer each connected from distance and scored five points, but it wasn't enough to cut into the Big Sandy lead.

The Pioneers led 41-22 to start the third quarter but were challenged early on by the Tornadoes. Turner got their offense on track scoring 19 in the frame. Doyle found his mark beyond the arc twice and scored 10 points to lead the attack. While the offense was solid the defense was not. Big Sandy score 25 points in the third and led 66-39 heading into the fourth quarter. Turner would lose 88-58 to the Pioneers. Doyle led the attack with 23 points while Zellmer finished with 19.

Saturday the Tornadoes hosted the North Star Knights and looked good early on. Sophomore Tate Beck scored eight first quarter points helping Turner take an early 13-11 lead over the Knights. North Star gained the upper hand before the break outscoring the Tornadoes 18-11 to lead 29-24 at the break.

Turner and North Star matched each other with nine in the third sending the teams to the fourth with the Knights maintaining a five point cushion 38-33. Turner couldn't stay with the Knights down the stretch, falling 49-41. Doyle scored 13 for the Tornadoes while Beck and Billmayer each tallied 10.

The Sugarbeeters fell behind early Friday night in Gildford and couldn't quite recover. North Star led 27-16 an the end of the first quarter and doubled up the Sugarbeeters by intermission, leading 46-23. Chinook did hold a 23-22 advantage after the break, but North Star secured a 68-46 win over the Sugarbeeters. Senior Flint Annis led the 'Beeters with 15 points, junior Jackson Nordboe added 14 in the loss.

Saturday at home the 'Beeters were looking for a better outcome as they hosted the Fort Benton Longhorns. Defense stole the show early on with neither team being able to get anything going offensively. Chinook's five points on a bucket from sophomore Carson Nissen and a trio of free throws. The defense allowed just eight to keep the 'Beeters close.

The 'Beeter attack came alive a bit in the second quarter getting points from five different players in the quarter including a pair of thunderous slams from senior Levi Jensen and senior Brenden Fetter. Fort Benton took a slim 22-19 lead into the into halftime.

Fort Benton opened up a 40-29 advantage at the end of three quarters holding all the momentum heading into the fourth quarter. The 'Beeters did their best but couldn't trim a point off the Longhorn lead and fell 49-38. Annis again led the 'Beeter attack with 11 points while Fetter and Jensen each finished with eight.

The Hays/Lodge Pole Thunderbirds hosted the Box Elder Bears Saturday afternoon and struggled to get anything going all game long. The Bears led 34-5 by the end of the first quarter and 50-16 at halftime. Box Elder didn't slow down much after the break and coasted to an 81-31 win over the Thunderbirds. Hays/Lodge Poll got a team high nine points from senior Davontae Sullivan in the loss.

The Sugarbeeters and Thunderbirds played their makeup game on Tuesday. The contest was originally scheduled to be played on December 21, but snow and extreme cold forced its postponement. Results will be in next weeks Blaine County Journal.