With just one week remaining in the high school basketball season the Big Sandy Pioneer boys picked up a pair of wins to improve their position within the District 9C standings. Friday night the Pioneers knocked out the North Star Knights 56-46. Saturday at home against the Box Elder Bears, the Pioneers came from behind to earn a 58-52 win and improve to 6-6 in District 9C play and 9-7. The wins also moved the Pioneers into the No. 4 spot in the district standings.

The Pioneer girls on the other hand weren't as fortunate as they fell Friday night to the North Star Knights 70-29 and were defeated Saturday at home by the Box Elder Bears 70-15.

Against the Knights Big Sandy doubled up the home team 14-7 after eight minutes of action. Junior Ryan Roth and junior Parker Proulx combined to score all 14 points to help the Pioneers get off to the fast start. Big Sandy pushed the lead to 22-15 by halftime.

Both teams match each other toe to toe in the third quarter, 13-13 but the Pioneers offense exploded for 21 fourth quarter points to secure a 56-46 win over the Knights.. Proulx led the way with 25 points including a three pointer and 10 of 11 from the charity stripe. Roth added 12 points and a three-pointer as well to help secure the win.

Saturday evening against Box Elder it was Roth's turn to shine. Roth scored nine first half points to help the Pioneers stay in striking distance of the Bears. Box Elder held a 13-9 advantage after one quarter of action and led 22-19 at the break..

The Bears extended their lead 40-33 with eight minutes of action remaining but a strong fourth-quarter again by the Pioneers powered them to victory

Roth knocked down three triples in the second half and scored 16 to lead the Pioneer comeback. Big Sandy outscored Box Elder 24-13 down the stretch to earn a hard-fought 58-52 win over the Bears. Roth finished with a game-high 25 points and points. Proulx added 12 for the Pioneers in the win.

The Pioneer girls continue to play hard, start to finish, but were never able to gain any footing in either contest over the weekend.

Friday evening against the Knights the girls held their ground and trailed just 10-6 entering the second quarter. North Star pushed the lead to 24-14 by intermission but a rough third quarter did the Pioneers in as they were defeated 70-29.

Senior Jaylyn Cline led the Big Sandy effort against with 15 points while Junior Lainey Gregory scored nine.

Saturday at home against the top seeded Box Elder Bears the girls played valiantly but were overwhelmed by the district top team.

The Bears jumped out to a 23-5 lead at the end of one and led 51-12 by halftime. Big Sandy would fall 70-15. Gregory paced the offensive effort for the Pioneers with nine points.

The Big Sandy basketball teams will close out the regular season at home this Friday against the Turner Tornadoes and on the road Saturday as they travel to Chester to take on the Hawks.

In all likelihood the Pioneer boys will enter The District 9C Tournament as the No. 4 seed and open up play against either the Box Elder Bears or the North Star Knights in first-round action.

The Pioneer girls will be the Districts No. 7 or No. 8 seed, depending on the outcome of the contest with the Chester/Joplin-Inverness Hawks this weekend.

The District 9C Tournament will be held February 13-16 at the Havre High School gymnasium.

Boys Basketball

North Star 7 8 13 18 — 46

Big Sandy 14 8 13 21 — 56

North Star: Austin Hanson 3 0-0 8, Bailey Spicher 2 1-2 7, Joey Send land 0 0-0 0, Caden Rettig 2 2-2 7, Garrett Spicher 0 0-0 0, Payne Ditmar 3 0-0 8, Hayden Master 2 4-5 8, Gavin Spicher 2 2-2 6, Rhett Wokey 1 0-0 2. Team Totals 15 9-11 46.

Big Sandy: Brock Proulx 7 10-11 25, Wyatt Labuda 1 0-0 2, Ryan Roth 4 3-3 12, Kody Strutz 0 2-2 2, Crawford Terry 2 1-1 5, Parker Proulx 1 0-0 3, Jeremiah Genereux 1 0-0 3, Kade Strutz 1 2-2 4. Team Totals 17 18-19 56.

Three Point Field Goals: North Star 7 (Austin Hanson 2, Bailey Spicher 2, Payne Ditmar 2), Big Sandy 4 (Brock Proulx, Ryan Roth, Parker Proulx, Jeremiah Genereux); Team Fouls: North Star 14, Big Sandy 14; Fouled Out: None.

Big Sandy 9 10 14 24 - 58

Box Elder 13 9 18 13 - 52

Big Sandy: Brock Proulx 4 4-6 12, Ryan Roth 9 4-4 25, Kody Strutz 1 2-4 4, Crawford Terry 0 0-1 0, Parker Proulx 2 0-0 5, Jeremiah Genereux 2 0-0 6, Kade Strutz 2 2-2 6. Team Totals 20 12-17 58.

Box Elder: Jayden Jilot 3 5-6 12, Zander Parisian 3 0-0 6, Kadyn Duran 1 2-2 5, Chris Burns 4 2-2 12, Malique Rosette 3 2-2 9, Tayce St. Pierre 0 0-1 0, Joseph Rosette 0 0-0 0, Kobe Sutherland 3 2-2 8. Team Totals 20 9-15 52.

Three Point Field Goals: Big Sandy 6 (Ryan Roth 3, Jeremiah Genereux 2), Box Elder 5 (Chris Burns 2); Team Fouls: Big Sandy 12, Box Elder 18; Fouled Out: None.

Girls Basketball

North Star 10 14 22 24 — 70

Big Sandy 6 8 5 10 — 29

North Star - Laynie Sattoriva 1 0-0 2, Jade Wendland 4 1-2 9, Kenidee Wolery 3 1-6 7, Paij Peterson 7 0-0 16, Tanicha Hudson 0 0-0 0, Olivia King 2 1-2 5, Shayla Borlaug 5 2-6 14, Saige Scheresky-O’Neil 0 0-0 0, Kaytlyn Domire 2 2-6 6, Rainee Watson 3 2-3 9, Ereka Harvey 1 0-0 2. Team Totals 29 9-25 70.

Big Sandy: Laynee Ophus 0 1-2 1, Stacey Allderdice 0 0-0 0, Grace Finke 0 1-4 1, Amy Gasvoda 0 0-0 0, Madison Terry 1 2-2 4, Lainey Gregory 0 3-6 3, Jaylyn Cline 6 2-4 15, Amanda Cline 3 2-3 9, Seanna Demontiny 0 0-0 0, Caydence Pleninger 0 0-0 0, Mattie Gasvoda 0 0-0 0. Team Totals 9 9-19 2.

Three Point Field Goals: North Star 5 (P. Peterson 2, S. Borlaug 2), Big Sandy 2 (Jaylyn Cline, Amanda Cline); Team Fouls: North Star 19, Big Sandy 16; Fouled Out: None.

Big Sandy 5 7 1 2 - 15

Box Elder 23 28 10 9 - 70

Big Sandy: Laynee Ophus 0 1-4 4, Stacey Allderdice 0 2-2 2, Madison Terry 0 0-0 0, Lainey Gregory 2 4-8 9, Jaylyn Cline 0 0-0 0, Amanda Cline 0 2-5 2, Seanna Demontiny 0 0-0 0, Caydence Pleninger 0 0-0 0, Mattie Gasvoda 0 0 1-2 1. Team Totals 2 10-19 15.

Senior Grace Finke with her parents, Fred and Linda Finke

Box Elder - Annalise Johnson 0 0-0 0, Sarah Parisian 4 2-2 12, Talyssa Oats-Horn 1 0-0 2, Eve The Boy 3 0-0 7, Maddie Wolf Chief 1 2-3 4, Lillian Gopher 5 3-6 14, Kyla Momberg 6 2-3 14, Joelnell Momberg 2 3-4 7, Zayna Henderson 3 0-0 6, Britney Lafromboise 2 0-0 4. Team Totals 27 12-18 70.

Three Point Field Goals: Big Sandy 1 (Lainey Gregory), Box Elder 4 (Sarah Parisian 2, Eve The Boy 1, Lily Gopher 1); Team Fouls: Big Sandy 13, Box Elder 18; Fouled Out: None