Defeat North Star 60-48 and Box Elder 55-47 to improve to 5-3

The new year started off very well for the Big Sandy Pioneer boys basketball; team as they picked up a pair of District 9C wins over North Star, 60-48 on Friday and Box Elder, 55-47 on Saturday to improve to 5-3 overall and 2-3 in conference to improve to fourth in the District.

The Pioneers girls weren't as fortunate as they fell to the Knights Friday, 62-20 and the Bears on Saturday, 68-29.

Junior Ryan Roth knocked down a pair of triples in the first quarter Friday night and sophomore Kade Strutz added a pair of baskets to help Big Sandy open up a 14-8 lead early against the Knights.

Roth would connect again from downtown in the second and third quarters to keep the offense rolling and junior Brock Proulx scored 12 second half points to give the Pioneers a 60-48 win to start the new year.

Roth finished with 21 points, Proulx added 16 and Strutz 11 in the win.

Saturday in Box Elder, the teams battled early and the game was tied 13-13 heading into the second quarter. The Pioneers held a slim 25-24 advantage at the break.

Roth and Proulx made a living at the charity stripe the second half as the pair combined to make 11-13 in the fourth quarter to help the Pioneers close out the Bears 55-47.

Roth finished with 21 points on the night and Proulx 13 with all of them coming in the second half. Strutz added 11 for the Pioneers in the win.

The Big Sandy girls struggled to find their footing in their first two games of the new year.

Friday the Knights opened a 15-4 lead after one quarter and led 32-10 by intermission in defeating Big Sandy 62-20. Senior Jaylyn Cline led the team with nine points.

Saturday the undefeated Bears held a 48-17 halftime advantage en route to a 68-29 win.

Junior Lainey Gregory knocked down three from beyond the arc and finished with 12 points.

Boys Basketball

North Star 8 14 13 13 - 48

Big Sandy 14 16 19 11 - 60

North Star: Austin Hansen 2 0-0 4, Bailey Spicher 4 0-0 10, Caden Rettig 5 1-3 15, Garrett Spicher 3 0-1 6, Hayden Massar 3 5-7 11, Gavin Spicher 1 0-0 2 Total Fouls 17. Team Totals 18 6-11 48.

Big Sandy - Brock Proulx 6 4-6 16, Ryan Roth 7 3-5 21, Kody Strutz 1 2-4 4, Crawford Terry 3 2-2 8, Austin Haugen 0 0-0 0, Parker Proulx 0 0-1 0, Jeremiah Genereux 0 2-5 2, Brayden Cline 0 0-0 0, Kade Strutz 5 0-6 11. Team Fouls 19. Team Totals 22 11-24 60.

Box Elder 13 11 4 19 - 47

Big Sandy 13 12 13 17 - 55

Big Sandy - Brock Proulx 4 5-6 13, Ryan Roth 5 9-12 21, Kody Strutz 0 0-0 0, Crawford Terry 3 0-1 6, Austin Haugen 0 0-0 0, Parker Proulx 1 0-3 2, Jeremiah Genereux 0 2-2 5, Brayden Cline 0 0-0 0, Kade Strutz 4 3-4 11. Team Fouls 12. Team Totals 17 19-28 55.

Box Elder: Jayden Jones 1 0-0 2, Zander Parisian 2 2-4 6, Kadyn Duran 3 0-0 7, Chris Burns 3 0-0 7, Nacona Limberhand 3 0-0 7, Malique Rosette 2 0-0 4, Quentin Limberhand 7 0-0 14. Total Fouls 21. Team Totals 21 2-4 47.

Girls Basketball

North Star 15 17 15 15 - 62

Big Sandy 4 6 5 5 - 20

North Star: J. Wendeln 5 0-0 10, Kenidee Wolery 4 0-0 9, Paij Peterson 6 5-5 17, Tanicha Hudson 1 0-0 2, Olivia King 0 0-0 0, Shayla Bourlag 7 3-6 18, Saige Scheresky-O'Niel 0 0-0 0, R. Watson 0 0-1 0. Team Totals 26 8-12 62.

Big Sandy: Laynee Ophus 0 2-4 2, Stacey Allderdice 1 1-2 3, Amiya Griffith 0 0-0 0, Grace Finke 0 0-0 0, Madison Terry 1 1-2 3, Lainey Gregory 1 0-0 3, Jaylyn Cline 2 3-4 9, Amanda Cline 0 0-0 0, Caydence Pleninger 0 0-0 0. Seanna Demontiny 0 0-0 0. Team Totals 5 7-12 20. Fouled Out Big Sandy None.

Thee Point Field Goals: Big Sandy 3 (J. Cline 2, Gregory 1); North Star 1 (Borlaug 1); Total Fouls: Big Sandy 12, North Star 16; Fouled out: None.

Sophomore Kade Strutz runs the offense during the Pioneers 55-47 win over the Box Elder Bears on Saturday.

Big Sandy 10 7 10 2 - 29

Box Elder 24 24 13 7 - 68

Big Sandy: Laynee Ophus 2 2-5 6, Lainey Gregory 4 1-1 12, Jaylyn Cline 2 0-0 4, Amanda Cline 2 2-6 7. Total Fouls 12. Team Totals 10 5-12 29.

Box Elder: Tessa BlackKrow 1 2-2 4, Annalise Johnson 1 0-1 2, Sarah Parisian 4 1-1 10, Talyssa Oats 1 0-2 3, Eve The Boy 3 1-2 7, Maddie Wolf Chief 3 4-6 11, Lillian Gopher 6 1-2 13, Kyla Momberg 3 0-0 7, Zayna Henderson 1 0-0 2, Britney LaFromboise 0 1-1 1, Joelnell Momberg 3 1-1 8. Team Fouls 13. Team Totals 26 11-19 68.