It was a good win against Mitchell (on Friday). We did better at eliminating turnover in this game. It was down to the wire, but the boys got it done.”

Coach Craig Leithead

Up Next

The Cyclones play LFL in Lingle Thursday at 6:30 p.m.

YODER – The Southeast High School Cyclones hosted back-to-back home games over the weekend, opening with a 36-33 victory against Mitchell, Nebraska, on Friday, January 24.

On Saturday, Southeast hit the court against its conference rival, the Niobrara County Tigers. While the Cyclones battled to close a 12-point gap in the second half, Southeast ultimately came up short against the Tigers, 44-30.

“It was a good win against Mitchell (on Friday),” coach Craig Leithead said. “We did better at eliminating turnover in this game. It was down to the wire, but the boys got it done.”

Niobrara proved to be a “tough game,” Leithead added.

“Niobrara County is a very intense, defensive team and caused us trouble,” Leithead noted. “Turnovers were something we struggled with again in general. We look forward to going at it again this week (against Lingle-Fort Laramie and Encampment).”

Mitchell

The first quarter between Southeast and Mitchell ended in a 6-6 deadlock. Junior Beaux Shimic, junior T.J. Moats and senior Ayden Shimic each scored a close-range shot while Ayden Shimic, Moats and senior Ayden Desmond each grabbed a steal.

The Cyclones turned the tables in the second quarter and topped Mitchell in scoring, 9-6, to establish a one-possession halftime lead, 15-12.

Beaux Shimic led offensively in the second with five points while Moats converted an and-1.

Hitting the ground running in the second half, the Cyclones offense netted eight points in the third quarter while a solid Southeast defense held Mitchell to two. Beaux Shimic drained a 3-pointer, Moats tossed in a jumper and a free throw and Desmond collected two free throws.

The Cyclones found themselves up, 23-14, as the final quarter began.

An 11-2 run by Mitchell at the beginning of the fourth quarter tied the game at 25. Beaux Shimic scored on a fastbreak and Southeast regained the lead, 27-22.

Moats grabbed a steal and Desmond converted an and-1, widening the Cyclones’ advantage to two possessions, 30-28.

Southeast remained ahead by one possession, 35-33, following a close-range shot and 3-pointer by Beaux Shimic. 

Defensive pressure by Ayden Shimic resulted in a turnover and Desmond and junior Chase Sauer both pulled down defensive rebounds.

Desmond added a free throw to the tally.

Beaux Shimic snatched a steal, Desmond rebounded a missed shot by Mitchell and the Cyclones wound down the game in possession.

Beaux Shimic dominated the Southeast offense against Mitchell with 19 points. Moats contributed eight points, Desmond seven and Ayden Shimic two.

Moats led on the boards with eight rebounds. Moats and Desmond both picked up four steals and Moats made two blocks.

Niobrara County

Niobrara County outpaced Southeast in both the first quarter, 13-6, and second quarter, 25-13, to lead by 12 (25-13) at half.

The Cyclones battled back in a physical, neck-and-neck second half that saw Southeast tally 17 points to 19 by Niobrara County, but the effort to match the Tigers in scoring fell short.

Beaux Shimic and Moats both led offensively against Niobrara County with eight points apiece. Desmond collected six points, Sauer four and senior Kannon Tippetts two.

On the boards, Moats led with nine rebounds while Desmond pulled down six.

Moats reached up for five blocks while Ayden Shimic snagged three steals.