BURNS – The Southeast High School Cyclones basketball team rounded out 2024 with an undefeated, 4-0 record at the Goshen County Basketball Classic tournament it hosted with Lingle-Fort Laramie from December 20-21.

The first game pitted Southeast against Encampment on Friday afternoon. In a physical, point-for-point battle in the first half, Southeast trailed by one point, 17-16. Bouncing back in the second half, the Cyclones outscored Encampment, 30-20, to post a 46-37 victory.

Southeast went on to defeat Rock River by a 38-point margin, 70-32, on Friday evening.

On Saturday, the Cyclones trounced Hanna-Elk Mountain (HEM), 33-18.

Concluding the tournament on a high note, Southeast crushed Kaycee, 63-28.

Encampment

A neck-and-neck first quarter between the Cyclones and Encampment ended with the Tigers ahead by one point, 9-8.

Both teams scored eight points in the second quarter, allowing Encampment to lead by one-point lead at halftime, 17-16.

Southeast battled back in the third quarter to top Encampment in scoring, 11-8, and capture the lead by a single possession, 27-24, as the final quarter began.

An explosive fourth quarter that saw the Cyclones net 19 points while holding Encampment to 12 clinched the win for Southeast.

Senior Ayden Desmond set the pace for the Cyclones offensively against Encampment with 20 points. Junior T.J. Moats tallied 13 points, fellow junior Chase Sauer six, freshman Cole Tregemba three with two apiece by senior Ayden Shimic and junior Liam Haas.

Moats posted a double-double against Encampment, pulling down 15 rebounds. Desmond totaled nine rebounds.

Junior Beaux Shimic shared the ball for four assists and picked up three steals. Moats totaled three blocks.

Rock River

Southeast pulled out all the stops in the first quarter against Rock River to top the Longhorns in scoring, 21-9. Maintaining the momentum into the second quarter, the Cyclones tossed in 19 points while holding Rock River to six.

Southeast led at halftime, 40-15.

The Cyclones offense tallied 21 points in the third quarter as the Southeast defense continued to hammer away at Rock River and hold the Longhorns to nine.

Southeast’s second string entered the game in the fourth to finish the job.

Desmond once again led Southeast in scoring with 24 points. Moats contributed 12, Beaux Shimic nine, Ayden Shimic eight, Sauer six and junior Spencer Booth three. Sophomore Trevor Jolovich, Haas, senior Drew Boche and fellow senior Sebastian Brumley each contributed two points.

Desmond pulled down seven rebounds and Moats five. Ayden Shimic tallied six assists while Beaux Shimic grabbed six steals.

Moats posted an impressive 11 blocks against Rock River.

HEM

Southeast dominated the first half against HEM, outpacing the Miners, 20-9. HEM managed to slow the Cyclones’ momentum a bit in the second quarter, but Southeast remained ahead, 33-18, at halftime.

A physical third quarter saw the Cyclones net 13 points while holding HEM to eight. Southeast continued to outscore HEM in the fourth quarter, 15-12.

Three Cyclones tallied double digits against HEM, led by Desmond with 20 points and Sauer and Moats each 12. Ayden Shimic netted nine, Beaux Shimic five, Tregemba two and Booth one.

Full stats from the game were not available at press time.

Kaycee

Southeast left it all on the court in the first quarter against Kaycee. A coordinated Cyclones offense tallied 22 points while a solid Southeast defense held Kaycee to nine points.

Southeast topped Kaycee in scoring in the second quarter, 15-4. 

The teams headed for the locker rooms with the Cyclones ahead by more than double the points, 37-13.

Southeast won the third quarter, 13-8. The Cyclones’ second string kept the momentum going in the fourth quarter, tallying 13 points to seven by Kaycee.

Four Southeast players finished the game against Kaycee with double digits, led by Desmond at 17 points, Beaux Shimic 13, Booth 12 and Ayden Shimic 10.

Moats posted eight points, Sauer two and Jolovich a free throw.

Full stats from the Kaycee game were not available at press time.