We've Got The County Covered
We've Got The County Covered
The Harlem Wildcats were the last Blaine County basketball team to take the court this winter. After weeks of practicing against each other, they finally got the chance to play someone in a different colored uniform. The Wildcats were in Billings on Friday and Saturday at the Class B Tip-off Tournament being played at Lockwood High School. Harlem began the season with a 91-26 thumping of the Roundup Panthers Friday afternoon. Saturday they got a stiffer test against the Shepherd Mustangs, earning a 62-52 victory to start the season 2-0.
Friday the Wildcats scored early and often against the Panthers, keeping their foot on the gas all the way to the final buzzer. Harlem Head Coach Ben Carrywater said before the season started that he wanted to turn up the defensive intensity and get out and run on offense, and they did just that. Sophomore Cody McCabe scored eleven first quarter points, including a triple. Senior Tommy Champagne added 10 for the Wildcats and sophomore Matt Billmayer scored six in staking the Wildcats to a 27-4 lead at the end of the first quarter.
The Wildcats never slowed down. Senior Moses Lawrence scored his first seven points of the contest in the second quarter to pace the Wildcats. McCabe and Billmayer each added six more to their point total, while Champagne contributed five. The teams headed to the halftime locker room with Harlem holding a 53-14 advantage.
The Wildcats kept their foot on the gas coming out of halftime. McCabe connected from beyond the arc and scored eight. Lawrence added six more to his point total and Billmayer four. The Wildcats outscored the Panthers 20-4 in the third quarter to lead 73-28 with eight minutes remaining in the contest. Billmayer knocked down a triple and scored nine more down the stretch while the Wildcats coasted to a season-opening 91-26 win to get the season started.
Harlem had four players in double digits by games end led by McCabe's 27 points. Billmayer came up big with 25 markers of his own. Champagne finished with 15 in the win, while Lawrence contributed 12 to the Harlem total. The Wildcats made 38 field goals in the win, including four from distance.
Saturday, the Wildcats faced a stiffer test against the Shepherd Mustangs. The Wildcats again started fast against the Mustangs. Senior Eric Snell scored six first quarter points, junior Diondre Firstraised connected twice from distance and McCabe added six in helping Harlem take a 22-17 lead into the second quarter of action.
Defense stole the show in quarter two, with Harlem scoring just five baskets and ten points. The Wildcat defense stood tall, holding the Mustangs to just seven in the stanza to extend the Harlem lead to eight, 32-24 heading into halftime. First Raised scored eight coming out of the break and Champagne added five, including one from distance in helping the Wildcats score 18 in the quarter to push their advantage to 50-38 heading into the fourth quarter.
The Wildcats maintained their defensive pressure and did enough on offense to keep the Mustang attack at bay. McCabe and Champagne each drilled three-point bombs and Lawrence added a couple of buckets to help secure a 62-52 win over the Mustangs to improve to 2-0 on the young season.
The Wildcats were led on the night by McCabe with 18. Firstraised dropped in a pair from beyond the arc and scored 16, Champagne finished with 10 and Billmayer chipped in eight. The Wildcats will return to the court on Tuesday, December 19 in Hays, where they will take on the Thunderbirds. Harlem will host the Dodson Coyotes in their home opener on Thursday, December 21. The Wildcats will begin District 2B play on Friday, December 22, when they will head east to Poplar to face the Indians. They will return to the court in the New Year on Saturday, January 6, when they head to Nashua to take on the North Country Mavericks.
