Shown above is the 2016 Red Cloud Crusaders basketball team. Members are Tommy Janis, Colby Hunter, Christian Phelps, Mato Hinton, Andre Starr, Kein Clements, Duran Richards, Shane Star, Ryan Hussman, Cully Pourier, Kobe O’Rourke, Falcon Albers, Brent Herman and Dominic Pilcher.
Red Cloud rolls over Bison
Hot Springs struggles to get ball up court
By James Giago Davies
Native Sun News correspondent HOT SPRINGS –– Bison Coach Aaron Noteboom knew Red Cloud’s 2-2-1 pressure defense was coming, he said as much after the game, and added he prepared for it in practice, but that did not stop Red Cloud Coach Christian McGhee from using it to steam roll Hot Springs, 74-40, Saturday night at the Case Auditorium. “You can prepare for the 2-2-1,” McGhee said, “but it’s hard to simulate our pressure with someone’s bench, no disrespect intended.” “It was a good team win, everybody contributed,” Red Cloud team captain, Kobey O’Rourke said, but when asked about the 2-2-1, grinned, and added, “We’re too fast, we just wanted to come out strong.” That they did. Terrell Pulliam, a 5-11 senior guard, hit an opening three-pointer, and then after pesky hands stripped Hot Springs, Pulliam made it 5-0 with a jumper from the arc. “Just slow down! Slow down!” Noteboom urged his 5-7 junior point guard, Skyler Haden, but it was going to be a long night for Hot Springs guard play. O’Rourke drove the baseline, 6-2 senior Robert looks Twice added an acrobatic lay-up, then came back with an offensive rebound up-and-in to make it 11-0. During that stretch Hot Springs was balling as best they could, Haden missed a couple threes, as did junior guard Baxter Bolden, with Pulliam forcing him to critically alter both shots. O’Rourke made a smooth lay-up through heavy traffic, and then Garnier stripped Haden and added an uncontested lay-up to make it 15-0, Red Cloud, with 4:23 remaining in the first period. Noteboom had seen enough and called a Hot Springs time-out. Prompted by the Bison cheerleaders the crowd got loud: “Go Big Blue! Go Big Blue!” Junior Zion Henderson, a lanky 6-4 scrapper, did his best to get the first bucket for the Bison. He snatched an offensive board and was fouled by 6-4 senior forward NuVassie Blacksmith. He missed both free throws. Fired up, the Bison snatched the rebound and Henderson tried to drive the Crusader lane, but finding it clogged, he forced a determined baseline hook from about ten feet out, which went in and then popped out, and then finally dropped through for the Bison’s first bucket. There was 2:48 remaining in the first period.
Read the rest of the story on the all new Native Sun News website: Red Cloud rolls over Bison (James Giago Davies can be reached at skindiesel@msn.com) Copyright permission Native Sun News
Join the Conversation
