We played a good first half against Pine Bluffs. Pine Bluffs is a great shooting team, though, and they kept hitting 3-pointers. We put in a better showing (against Niobrara County) than the last time we played them. We did a better job  looking for shots and taking care of the ball.”

Coach Craig Leithead

Up Next

The Cyclones compete at regionals in Upton from February 27-March 1.

YODER– The conference game between the Southeast High School Cyclones and the Niobrara County Tigers came down to the wire in Lusk on Saturday, February 15. 

The first half ended in a 17-17 stalemate. The Cyclones regained the lead at the end of the third quarter by one point, 31-30. Following a stalemate at 33 points early in the fourth, Niobrara County went on a 10-point run. Southeast battled to close the gap but ultimately came up short, 49-43.

On Friday, Southeast hosted non-conference 2A rival Pine Bluffs. A neck-and-neck first half ended with Pine Bluffs ahead by only a few possessions, 35-29. Pine Bluffs lined up for a series of 3-pointers in the third quarter to win, 78-43.

“We played a good first half against Pine Bluffs,” coach Craig Leithead said. “Pine Bluffs is a great shooting team, though, and they kept hitting 3-pointers. We put in a better showing (against Niobrara County) than the last time we played them. We did a better job  looking for shots and taking care of the ball.”

Pine Bluffs

The opening quarter between Southeast and Pine Bluffs proved close with the Hornets ahead by only one point, 11-10.

Four Cyclones contributed to the first-quarter point spread, with three points apiece by seniors Ayden Desmond and Kannon Tippetts and two each by sophomores T.J. Moats and Beaux Shimic.

Tippetts opened the second quarter going 2-for-2 at the charity stripe. Moats scored from inside the perimeter and the game reached a stalemate at 14 points.

The Hornets pulled up by several possessions but were matched in scoring at 26 points following four points by Moats.

Pine Bluffs responded with a 9-2 run to retake the lead, 35-29, at halftime.

The Hornets took control of the momentum in the second half, topping Southeast in points, 43-21.

Desmond led the Cyclones in overall scoring with 10 points. Beaux Shimic collected 10, Tippetts seven and junior Chase Sauer three.

Niobrara County

The Cyclones won the first quarter against the Tigers, 9-8. Moats paced the Southeast offense with six points while Desmond scored three.

The Cyclones remained ahead early in the second quarter with a four-point run. Niobrara County responded with several buckets to retake the lead, 14-13.

Tippetts took possession and drained a trey, placing Southeast up, 16-14.

Niobrara County scored on the next possession to regain the advantage, 17-16.

The game reached a tie at 17 points following a free throw by Moats. Defensive pressure by senior Ayden Desmond forced a turnover on Niobrara County’s final possession of the first half and the game deadlocked, 17-17, at halftime.

The Tigers opened the third quarter with an eight-point run. Southeast battled back with nine points, anchored by a pair of 3-pointers from Tippetts.

Southeast recaptured the lead, 29-26, when Desmond converted an and-1. 

Niobrara County scored and Desmond answered with a pair of free throws to place Southeast ahead, 31-30.

The game reached a stalemate at 33 points in the fourth before a 10-point run by Niobrara County placed the Tigers in control. Despite a pair of outside shots by Beaux Shimic, the Tigers remained up through the final buzzer.

Desmond and Moats both tallied 14 points against Niobrara County. Tippetts and Beaux Shimic contributed nine points and six points.