The Chinook Sugarbeeters closed out 2023 with a contest against former District 9C foe Fort Benton on the road on Tuesday, December 19 and defeated the Longhorns soundly 56-20. The following day, Chinook hosted District 1B rival Rocky Boy, where the 'Beeters again won, going away 53-13.

Junior Hannah Schoen scored in the paint off of an offensive rebound for Chinook's first points of the contest. The Longhorns quickly answered on the other end to even the score at 2-2. Senior Hallie Neibauer scored going to the basket for a 4-2 lead at the 5:40 mark. Neibauer drew a foul in the paint and converted both shots from the charity stripe to put Chinook on top 6-2. Junior Alexus Seymour found Neibauer with a nice pass through the key for an 8-2 lead.

Seymour went coast-to-coast to extend the lead to 10-2 with two minutes remaining in the opening quarter. Seymour scored again off a curl in the paint. Sophomore Brooke Fetter knocked down a short jumper off a feed from Neibauer and Seymour finished the break for a 19-2 lead heading into the second quarter.

Seymour fed Fetter with a perfect pass, leading to a free throw. Seymour added a basket down low to extend the 'Beeters' lead to 22-2. Neibauer and Schoen followed with buckets inside for a 26-2 lead at the midway point of the second quarter. Liddle got a friendly bounce for a bucket from the right wing to keep the offense rolling. Schoen again converted an offensive rebound for a score to put Chinook on top 30-4. The 'Beeters closed out the half with buckets from Fetter and Seymour to lead 34-8 at the break.

Seymour started the third quarter with a fast break bucket off a nice pass from Schoen. Neibauer scored from the right block, leading to a Longhorn timeout and a 38-8 'Beeter lead. Olsen connected from 12' to push the lead to 32. Chinook continued to roll the remainder of the contest, leading 47-15 at the end of three securing a 56-20 win. Neibauer led the way with 20 points in the contest, while Seymour added 16. Fetter and Schoen each tallied eight in the contest.

Wednesday against Rocky Boy Neibauer got the Beeters on the board first with a strong take to the basket. Schoen collected the offensive rebound to send her to the charity stripe where she knocked down 1 of 2 to give the Beeters a 3-0 lead. The Stars scored 5 straight to take a 5-3 lead with 5:07 to go in the quarter. Olson made a great pass down low to Seymour to even the score at 5-5. Seymour followed with a long 3 from the left elbow to give the 'Beeters back the lead at 8-5, leading to a Rocky Boy time out with 3:36 left to go in the quarter.

Coming out of the timeout, Seymour made a nice steal and basket to double up the Stars, 10-5. The Beeters took a 10-7 lead into the second quarter of action. Seymour scored a bucket and drew a foul, getting the first points of the second quarter for the 'Beeters. Seymour knocked down the freethrow, giving the 'Beeters a 13-8 lead midway through the quarter.

On the ensuing possession, Seymour again took the ball hard to the basket where she knocked down both attempts to put Chinook up 15-8. Moments later, Seymour again found herself at the charity stripe, going 2-2, extending the 'Beeter lead to 17-8 with 2:55 remaining.

A Schoen steal led to a Neibauer three ball, giving Chinook a 23-9 lead heading into the half-time locker room.

Olsen connected on 1-2 from the charity stripe to put Chinook up 28-9 with six minutes to go in the third quarter. Schoen made another great steal and got the ball up court to Neibauer for an easy layup, giving Chinook a 21 point lead, 30-9. Neibauer drew a hard foul on the baseline, sending her to the charity stripe for two where she went 1-2 to put Chinook up 38-9 with two minutes remaining in the third quarter.

The Beeters took a 45-9 lead into the fourth quarter and closed out the Stars, 53-13, securing a 40 point win over Rocky Boy. Neibauer and Seymour each finished with 20 points in the win, with Neibauer connecting three times beyond the arch. Olsen added six points to the 'Beeters' win.

The 'Beeters will return to the court on Friday, January 5 where they will head west to take on the Fairfield Eagles in a huge district 1B contest. The following night, the 'Beeters will return home to face the Cut Bank Wolves.