Cougar hoopsters win 3 of 4 on the road
It seems every time the Columbus Cougars and Sweet Grass County Herders get together on the hardwood, the game is an instant classic.
Take, for example, the double OT thriller two years ago won by Cougar Phil Holten’s impossible 24-footer with no time left.
Or take Saturday’s Cougar-Herder game, a 45-43 OT Cougar win that was only settled when Herder Drew Pike’s 3-pointer from the corner bounced away as the clock expired. There were plenty of other heroics in a game the Cougars led 11-2 early but then settled into a defensive grind where leads of more than four points were rare.
Four was the Herder lead at 36-32 with three minutes remaining. But Big Timber would not score again in regulation and Cougar senior Tanner Osborne found Jack Gray inside with eight seconds remaining to send the game into overtime at 36-36.
Jackson Booth’s jumper gave the Cougars their first overtime lead at 38-37 and Gray’s three increased the edge to 43-39 with two minutes left. Kiefer McKay’s driving layup built a 45-41 lead but a Big Timber jumper cut the lead back to two. Both teams squandered chances at the free-throw line in the waning seconds and Gray’s missed front end of a one-and-one with seven seconds gave the Herders a final chance, but Pike’s shot was off the mark.
Friday the boys opened the season with a 59-37 win over Joliet.
The Cougar girls game against Big Timber was nearly as classic as the boys’ game, as Columbus fought back from a 24-10 halftime deficit to pull within 40-39 on freshman Alexa Riveland’s 3-pointer with four minutes remaining.
Kenedy Wiggs’ steal – one of a preposterous nine for the senior on the night – and deft pass to Riveland cut the lead to 46-42 late, but the Herders took the 50-42 win. Senior Carli Dyba’s 11 points led the team, and Wiggs added six rebounds to her pile of steals.
The girls opened their season with a 50-42 win over Joliet, using a 10-0 run to open the second half to build a 41-22 lead then holding off a late J-Hawk charge. Tyona Robbins scored 17 points and hauled down five rebounds and Riveland added 16 points.
Both Cougar teams play in the Manhattan Tournament on Friday and Saturday, Dec. 11-12.
Columbus 16 17 9 17 — 59
Joliet 9 8 13 7 — 37
Joliet: Wyatt Kramer 5, Logan Mydland 1, Taylor Rowlison 16, Matt George 10, Jared Schwend 5.
Columbus: Kiefer McKay 15, Tanner Osborne 6, Jack Gray 2, Chuck Miller 5, Ryland Stampfel 12, Jackson Booth 13, Jace Aumueller 2.
Big Timber 2 15 11 8 7 — 43
Columbus 11 11 5 9 9 — 45
Big Timber: Brent Finn 10, Weston Lavoy 3, Luke Rech 15, Drew Pike 15.
Columbus: Kiefer McKay 7, Tanner Osborne 9, Jack Gray 8, Ryland Stampfel 10, Jackson Booth 9, Jace Aumueller 2.
Columbus 16 10 15 9 — 50
Joliet 7 10 5 22 — 42
Columbus: Desirae Gibson 2, Tana House 3, Alexa Riveland 16, Kenedy Wiggs 4, Tyona Robbins 17, Carli Dyba 6, Uluwehi Brooks 2.
Joliet: Kacey Bertolino 8, Melissa Daly 2, Sari Robertus 3, Vanessa Nowak 2, Annie Cooke 19, Holly Nowak 7.
Big Timber 10 14 11 13 — 48
Columbus 3 7 16 16 — 42
Big Timber: Kate Indreland 3, Tedi Jo Todd 5, Madilyn Emter 7, Holly Emter 8, Sydney Prather 8, Mesa King 17.
Columbus: Tana House 9, Alexa Riveland 9, Kenedy Wiggs 2, Tyona Robbins 3, Carli Dyba 11, Maddi Carman 8.