Longhorn boys get two tourney wins out west

    The Chase County boys’ basketball team picked up its first two wins of the season last week at the Cabela’s Holiday Shootout in Sidney.
    CCS opened the tournament with a loss to 8-1 Gordon-Rushville.
    Kade Anderson and Keenan Cole combined to make three 3s in the first quarter to help CCS take a 12-10 lead. But, GR closed the quarter on a 2-12 run, including a three-pointer from past half court at the buzzer, leaving Chase County trailing 14-22.
    GR continued to pour it on in the second quarter. CCS got a three pointer from Ryan Bernhardt and two point baskets by Emmitt Zuege, Jensen Olsen and Tysen Lempke before halftime.
    Trailing 23-43, Anderson scored the Longhorns’ first four points of the half. After a Lempke basket, Olsen and Bernhardt made four free throws to round out third quarter scoring.
    Nick Rau, Tristan Jablonski, Olsen and Zuege rounded out CCS scoring in the game, a 40-65 loss.
    Anderson scored 10 points to lead CCS. Zuege scored seven points while Rau grabbed eight rebounds.
    CCS rebounded with a win over 3-6 Torrington, Wyoming.
    After a basket by the Blazers to start the game, Chase County went on a 7-2 run behind a basket from Zuege and five points from Anderson.
    A basket in the paint by Olsen gave CCS a 9-4 lead that Torrington cut to 9-8, before a three pointer by Cole gave the Longhorns a four-point lead at the end of the first.
    Rau increased that lead to six points, but Torrington cut the gap to 14-12. Three pointers by Cole and Jablonski kept CCS in the lead but the Blazers cut the advantage to two points, 24-22, at halftime.
    The game stayed tight in the third quarter. Five Longhorns made baskets as the teams traded buckets. CCS led 36-35 heading into the final stanza.
    Torrington made the fourth quarter’s only field goals as the teams headed to the charity strip often. Torrington made 3-4 free throws. Anderson went 6-6 at the line, Cole was 2-2 and Lempke 1-1 in the 45-42 win.
    Anderson led CCS with 15 points, including 8-10 on free throws, and added nine rebounds.
    Chase County wrapped up a fifth place finish with a win over 5-5 Burns, Wyoming.
    CCS picked up its second win of the season with another three-point win, this one 47-44 over Burns.
    The Longhorns fell behind 0-4 before a Zuege three pointer jump started CCS. Two baskets by Cole and one from Olsen gave Chase County a 9-6 lead heading into the second quarter.
    Cole nailed a three pointer to increase the lead to six points, but Burns answered with seven straight points and took the lead. With three pointers by Anderson, Cole and Lempke to go with a two-point bucket from Olsen, CCS retook the lead 23-15. Burns kept the game close with four straight points before halftime.
    Bernhardt and Rau combined for Chase County’s first 10 points of the second half. CCS held a 10-point advantage, 33-23, but Burns finished with a flourish and scored the third quarter’s final seven points.
    Cole held the lead to 39-30 with six points to start the fourth quarter. Burns answered once more and took a one point lead.
    After bucket by Olsen, threes from Anderson and Bernhardt, who finished with a team-high nine points, sealed the win.
    Burns made three more two-point field goals, 11-8, than CCS, but the Longhorns connected on 10 of 19 three pointers, compared to 5-17 for Burns.
Up next
    CCS was on the road to 8-2 Dundy County-Stratton Tuesday. Saturday the Longhorns will travel to 0-6 Kimball.
    Next week, CCS makes the trip to Southern Valley (2-6) Jan. 11, then to Perkins County (6-2) Jan. 13.
    CCS hosts Gothenburg (4-5) Jan. 14.