Ranger boys win back to back games

The Hill City Rangers boys basketball team took home two wins this week. The boys played the Chadron Cardinals at home Feb. 3.

Chadron scored first and had the lead by as much as eight points in quarter one. 

The quarter ended with four points separating teams. The Cardinals scored points early in the second and kept the lead until about five minutes remained in half. The Rangers dumped baskets getting nine unanswered points. 

The Cardinals hit for a three-pointer and got within two points with 2:40 left in the half. Chadron had one of its worst quarters of the season with Hill City scoring 19 points in the second quarter compared with Chadron’s six. The half ended with Hill City ahead 30-20. The Rangers continued to outscore the Cardinals, taking home a 57-37 win. 

Hill City then traveled to Lead to play the Golddiggers Feb. 6. The Rangers got an early lead in the first quarter but then fell behind and trailed most of the game. In the fourth quarter the Rangers pulled ahead 54-50 only to have Lead-Deadwood tie things up at 61 all with 2:21 left in the game. The Rangers would take the win by a mere three points, 71-68.

The Rangers were 54 percent at the free throw line and had 40 rebounds and 12 steals in the win. This puts the Rangers at 9-7 on the season.

The Rangers (9-7) play at home against Douglas Feb. 12. The Patriots (3-8) are coming off a loss to St. Thomas More. Hill City then travels to Lakota Tech to face the Tatanka (2-13)  Feb. 14.