Boys Defeat Cheylin
The St. Francis Indians defeated the Cheylin Cougars in a lop-sided contest on Tuesday, February 13, in St. Francis. The Indians cruised to a 16-point lead after one period of action and thumped the Cougars 64-36. The game did have a storyline as the young, over-matched Cougars played fundamentally and with effort throughout the contest. The Indians just had more size, talent, and depth. The Cougars only had five players available to participate in the contest.
Starting four freshman and junior, the Cougars moved the ball deliberately looking for good shots versus the Indians' zone defense. St. Francis scored the first basket on a steal-two by Dalton Straub. Freshman Alex Dart followed with a basket in the lane for the Cougars. It would be the last basket the Cougars would earn for several minutes. Meanwhile, the Indians earned baskets by Tate Busse on a cut (assist Brady Dinkel), a free-throw by K. C. Krien, a shot by Busse (assist Wyatt Hackler), and to fast-break baskets by Busse, the second of which ended in a dunk. With 3:46 left in the first period, trailing 12-2, the Cougars called time-out. After returning to the floor, the Cougars earned a post-basket by junior Jacob Serrano. Busse then drained a top-of-the-key trey and set up a right-elbow basket by Adam Krien with an assist. After another Serrano basket, Busse earned a two-hand dunk on an out-of-bounds play lob by Dinkel. A left-wing trey by Busse ended the first period. St. Francis led 22-6. Busse had totaled 17 of the Indians' points in the period.
Utilizing their available depth, St. Francis played nine players in the second period, mostly substitute players. The Cougars continued to fight hard and play fundamentally, and gradually narrowed the margin in the second stanza. St. Francis earned a basket by Tayton Weeter (assist Dalton Straub), but Cheylin followed with a left-corner trey by Colton McCarty, a right-elbow shot by Dart, a sweet post-move by Serrano, and a coast-to-coast drive by Serrrano. The outburst narrowed the margin to single-digits (24-15). The Indians then received a free-throw from Weeter and a coast-to-coast basket by Straub before McCarty struck again from the left-corner. A post-basket by Straub and a trey by Wyatt Hackler (assist Jake Faulkender) widened the advantage to 32-18. Serrano would add two free-throws, a left-corner trey, and drive before the half would close. St. Francis earned another basket by Straub (assist Weeter) and right-wing trey by Busse who re-entered late in the quarter. St. Francis led 37-25 at halftime.
The Indians returned to the floor in the third period playing man-to-man defense. The "up-close" defense did not set well with the young Cougars, and St. Francis went on a 20-3 blitz in the third period. Brady Dinkel's assist let to a Dalton Straub basket to open the second half. Busse then scored on a drive. On the next Cougar possession, a steal by Dinkel led to an attempted dunk by Busse, but Busse was called for a technical foul for hanging on the rim. Cheylin only converted one of the free-throws. Busse then went coast-to-coast for another score. K.C. Krien's assist set up a free-throw line jumper by Straub. Busse followed with a driving score (plus one). The next Indian possession ended with a Busse trey (assist Straub). At 3:32, Cheylin had seen enough, and called time-out trailing 51-26. Busse then added a floater in the lane and another deuce after a steal and assist by Krien. Straub's mid-post basket completed the Indians' third quarter scoring and increased the spread to 31 points. Serrano closed the period with a driving score for the Cougars. St. Francis had widened the margin to 57-28.
Only substitute players saw action for St. Francis in the final period. After a basket by Cheylin's Serrano, Richard Johnson scored on a baseline drive for the Indians. A 4:30, Johnson scored again, this time on an offensive rebound, setting the 30-point clock in motion (61-30). Cheylin would earn two free-throws, a deuce, and a trey in the closing minutes. St. Francis recorded a trey by Tayton Weeter. The Indians defeated the Cougars 64-36.
Tate Busse led all scorers with 34 points (17 in 1st qtr.;14 in 3rd qtr.). Dalton Staub earned 14 points. Others scoring for St. Francis included Tayton Weeter 6, Richard Johnson 4, Wyatt Hackler 3, Adam Krien 2, and K.C. Krien 1. The Indians totaled 10 fouls, made 3 of 5 from the line, and had 6 turnovers.
Cheylin was led by Jacob Serrano with 15 points. Colton McCarty scored 12 and Alex Dart 7. The Cougars tallied 3 fouls, made 4 of 9 from the stripe, and had 14 turnovers.
St. Francis will play Triplains-Brewster, in Brewster, on Thursday, February 15. The Indians will host Greeley County on Friday, February 16.
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