Boys basketball season start mixed

The Hill City Rangers boys basketball team is 1-1 after winning its home opener and falling to Mahpiya Luta the night after.

The Rangers came out against the Kadoka Kougars Dec. 12 in a straight man-to-man defense, unable to score first. Both teams looked a little chaotic, and by 6:12 left in the first quarter, the Rangers were trailing 4-0. Mason Buehler was the first to get the Rangers on the board, sinking a three pointer. 

Shortly after, Zane Messick sunk a layup, tying the game at 7-7 with 3:22 left in the first quarter. The Kougars regained the lead, forcing the Rangers into full court man-to-man defense that forced a turnover. Both teams traded shots until the Rangers tied the game up 9-9 with 1:11 left in the first. 

Messick shot for the rim, and with a whoosh the Rangers took the lead for the first time all game. The quarter ended with the Rangers on top 14-10. 

Messick came out strong for the Rangers in the second period, answering with a basket after the Kougars sunk one. Messick got help scoring from Dax Frandsen who sunk two baskets before Alan Harvey nailed a layup, extending the Hill City lead to seven.

The Rangers went into two post offense, and Messick hit again. The Kougars did a nice job of slowing the Rangers down. Frandsen hit a three-pointer from the wing. The Kougars got two within two, but the Rangers went into halftime with a 36-30 lead.

The Rangers started with  the ball in the second half. 

Buehler hit first, and Hill City controlled the tempo, eating time off the clock. Messick went to the line, nailing three and extending the Rangers’ lead to 41-33. But defensively Hill City picked up fouls. Messick ended up fouling out of the game with a charge and technical with 3:34 left in the third quarter. He finished the game with 19 points overall. 

Karson Kolb got the Rangers to their fifth foul, sending Kadoka’s Tance VanderMay to the line. He sunk both, and the Kougars were within two.

With the end of the third quarter approaching, Frandsen scored from the bottom side of the rim, got to the line and sunk the ball, extending Hill City’s lead to five. Frandsen took charge, scoring two more and extending the lead 51-41 late in the third. Frandsen hit a basket as the third quarter ended with Hill City up 53-45.

Frandsen was the only player to score for Hill City in the fourth quarter. The Kougars briefly grabbed the lead back, only to have Frandsen answer immediately, with the Kougars defense chasing him to the hoop. Frandsen ended the game with 35 points total as the Rangers defeated the Kougars 67-59. The Rangers defense left Kougars guard Kole Hermann pointless the entire fourth quarter. 

The Rangers traveled to face Mahpiya Luta Dec. 13. The Rangers scored first.  Mahpiya Luta answered, setting off their bonanza of  baskets with the Rangers struggling on defense. Messick took a lot of shots but failed to sink them, and the Rangers were down by nine with 1:14 left in the first.

The quarter ended with the Rangers trailing 13-8. Mahpiya Luta extended the lead in the second quarter with Hill City trailing most of the period. But with seconds left in the half, Messick sunk two from the line, and the Rangers ended the half, leading 22-21.

The third period saw both teams take turns with the lead, neither falling too far behind.

The equally matched teams vollied for points in the fourth, tying 41-41 with six minutes left in the game. Mahpiya Luta then took the lead, and the Rangers found themselves playing catch up.

The teams were tied up at 52 all with 25 seconds left in the game.

Mahpiya Luta pulled ahead by two, and a foul against Hill City gave Memphis Brewer a chance to sink two from the line. He missed both, and the score was 54-52.

Seconds later another  foul against Hill City gave Mahpiya Luta a chance at two more. This time Okte Spotted Eagle sunk both, and Mahpiya Luta pulled ahead 56-52.

Tha Rangers lost to Mahpiya Luta 58-54.

The Rangers now face New Underwood (0-0) Dec. 18 and Hot Springs (0-2) at home Dec. 20.