Big Sandy lost to the Box Elder 72-79 and beat North Star 61-41. The Pioneers started with a great pass from Braydon Cline to Cooper Taylor for a nice bucket to start the game with the Bears. With great pressure and high hands-on defense, the Pioneers could stop a Bears offensive play, but a quick turnover from Big Sandy allowed the Bears to get a quick bucket. Wylie Snapp had a great steal, followed by a block by Kody Strutz, and kept the Pioneers within a couple of buckets early. Box Elder showed how quick they were with nice moves in the paint and to the basket, as well as some big 3-pointers. Big Sandy did not quit, though, and had some great buckets from Issac Pedraza, Snapp, and Lane Demontiney. Even with a good push to end the 1st quarter, the Pioneers were down by 5 with a score of 17-22.
The 2nd quarter was all Demontiney in the first minute and a half. Demontiney came out and hit a big 3-pointer, turned around and stole the ball, and finished with another 3-pointer to put the Pioneers back on top 23-22. Clone also had a big quarter with a nice 3-point play, jump shot, and layups. But Box Elder dominated the boards and continued to make crucial 3-pointers. With some made free-throws by Strutz and Cline, the Pioneers went into halftime up by 4 with a score of 37-33.
Box Elder started the 2nd half with some great passing and quick 2 points. Pedraza followed with a bucket himself. After some free throws from Snapp and Pedraza, as well as Strutz steal and Demontiney to Strutz basket, the Pioneers were up 44-38. Box Elder came back with a big 3-pointer, and Pedraza got called for an offensive foul, sending him to the bench with three fouls. Box Elder incorporated a press and caused the Pioneers to turn the ball over. After a couple of big steals from Strutz and Snapp and big free throws from Demontiney and Taylor, the Pioneers kept fending off the Bears but ended up going into the 4th stanza tied at 49 all.
The 4th quarter was a back-and-forth battle trading buckets with the Bears and Demontiney, then the Bears with a 3-pointer and then Cline with a 3-pointer, back to the Bears with a 3-pointer, back to Cline for a 3-pointer. The Bears hit another 3-pointer and bucket, but the Pioneers continue to answer with a bucket and 3-pointer by Pedraza, tying the game at 62. Back-and-forth buckets again from Box Elder and Demontiney, Pedraza, and Snapp. The Pioneers take the lead but with a huge offensive board from Box Elder followed by a 3-pointer, they put the Pioneers down 3 with under a minute. The Pioneers had to foul, but because they weren't in bonus yet, fouling took more time off the clock, allowing Box Elder to finish a couple more buckets. The Pioneers fell just short as time expired, losing to the Bears by 7 with a final score of 79-72.
Lane Demontiney made 21 points in the losing effort, and Braydon Cline and Issac Pedraza each made 16. Kody Strutz had five steals, with Wylle Snapp stealing four and getting 10 rebounds. Braydon got 10 rebounds as well.
In Gilford, the Pioneers won by 20, 61-41. They started strong with great pressure defense, in which NorthStar had difficulty putting together an offense. Lane Demontiney made a 3-pointer, while Wylie Snapp had a nice take. The Pioneer defense continued to wreak havoc on NorthStar with a few more steals from Braydon Cline with two and Issac Pedraza with one. Big Sandy held NorthStar scoreless for the first 5 mins of the game. The Pioneers also picked apart the Northstar zone defense with great ball movement and takes to the basket. Some great takes and scores by Cooper Taylor, Kody Strutz, and Cline. The Pioneers also dominated the boards in the 1st quarter, which led them going into the 2nd quarter up 14 points with a score of 17-3.
The second quarter was a lot like the first, with some great teamwork and ball movement offensively. Taylor had a nice 3-pointer, while Snapp had a great steal followed by a great high-low pass to Pedraza. NorthStar struggled to get their own rebounds and capitalize on them, which gave the Pioneers more opportunities to score. Cline scored a couple of layups and a nice take in the middle of the key. Taylor also had a nice drive and make. Unfortunately, NorthStar couldn't get much going on offense, so Big Sandy went into halftime up 15 points with a score of 33-18.
NorthStar made some adjustments after the half, took care of the ball more, and made some big buckets. But the Pioneers were making baskets too. Pedraza had 3 back to back to back buckets, with NorthStar doing the same. A steal from Strutz and Demontiney and a 3-pointer from Ryder Galbavy and Cline put the Pioneers up by 21 going into the last quarter.
Big Sandy did have 3 turnovers in a row in the 4th quarter, but NorthStar couldn't close the gap. Great hustle plays and continued hard work, and a pass from Rusty Gasvoda to Jake Darlington for an easy basket sealed the deal for the Pioneers as they finished the game beating NorthStar by 20 with a score of 61-41.
In the win, Braydon Cline shot 67% with 18 points, Issac Pedraza shot 58% and 14. Big Sandy out rebound North Star 25 to 14.
