Boys split last week’s basketball games, end 2021 with 5-1 record

Holyoke boys basketball played Haxtun and Wray last week and moved to 5-1 on the season. The Dragons defeated Haxtun 62-53 on Tuesday, Dec. 14, and lost to Wray 57-30 on Thursday, Dec. 16.

Coach Colbey Stumpf said the team’s effort was there and the boys played really hard in both games. He said that although they found themselves in a little bit of a hole at the beginning of the Haxtun game, the Dragons fought their way back and got a nice win.

Stumpf said they played really well in the first half against Wray, noting that the Dragons were only down by three at halftime.

He said the Dragons didn’t make the adjustments they needed to in order to beat Wray. “The loss showed what we need to work on and where we need to improve,” he added.

Offensively, he said the Dragons will work on speeding the game up a bit and trusting their teammates in the execution of plays. Defensively, they will work on staying in front of the opponent and getting into good defensive help positions.

Holyoke 62, Haxtun 53

The Dragons hosted the Bulldogs on Ag Night last Tuesday evening, and the gym was packed for the showdown between these two Phillips County teams.

Holyoke was in a quick deficit at the beginning of the game and trailed 12-5 after the first quarter.

The Dragon offense came out strong in the second behind Ethan Johnson’s 10 points and Wyatt Sprague’s six. Cash Weber sank a three-pointer at the buzzer to give the Dragons a 27-17 lead at halftime.

Holyoke outscored Haxtun 14-12 in the third, and the Dragons again hit a three-pointer at the buzzer — this time courtesy of Johnson — to lead 41-29 with one quarter left. The Dragons held on in the game’s final frame for the 62-53 win.

Johnson was the Dragons’ high scorer in the game, getting 22 points on four 2s, four 3s and two free throws. Wyatt Sprague scored 17 on eight 2s and one free throw.

Miles Sprague led in total rebounds with six. Wyatt Sprague and Cade Killin each had five. Killin led the team in blocks with one.

Miles Sprague and Wyatt Sprague each had four assists and one steal. Johnson and Weber each had a steal apiece.

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