Sidney boys rise to 7-0 after weekend wins

It was another weekend sweep for Sidney.

Only a week after beating Chase County at home and Sterling, Colo., on the road, the Red Raider boys' basketball team pulled off another two-win weekend with victories over Ft. Morgan, Colo., and conference foe Alliance at home.

The wins give Sidney a 7-0 overall record and a tie with Scottsbluff (6-0 overall, 1-0 league) atop B-6 league standings.

Sidney 60, Alliance 45

The Red Raiders displayed a whole lot of defensive speed – and an aggressive attitude in the paint – to overcome the agile Alliance Bulldogs, 60-45, on Saturday night.

The game began as Sidney ran up a 10-4 lead against Alliance, all amid a Bulldog team that did it best to apply physical pressure.

"We couldn't let their aggression and pushiness get into our head," senior Cutter O'Connell said about Alliance's bumpy defensive stance. "We just had to give as good as we got and focus on our game."

That focus paid off; O'Connell and sophomore Mitch Porter each put up 12 points and the duo was joined in double-digit action by junior Zack Means with 11 points.

One of the big factors in the win was the outside shooting of Porter, who recorded a pair of three-point shots and a pair of deuces that were just inside the arc. He was also a perfect 2-of-2 from the line. Three more treys came from O'Connell and fellow seniors Brady Radcliffe and Yeager Price.

While the three-pointers were critical in Sidney extending its lead when it was needed, the most consistent of all Red Raider shooters had to be Means. The 6-foot-6-inch dynamo for head coach Erik Kohl was 5-for-5 on deuces and was also in on nearly every defensive play under the basket.

"You have to look at the team effort guys like Means put into any game," Kohl said. "It's not just one guy with this team, so when someone has an off night, a kid like (Means) can come in and get the job done."

The perimeter defense of Sidney was also a big factor in the win as it stifled Alliance throughout the second half.

The offense came alive in the second for Alliance, who trailed by as much as nine in the first period, but answered back with a 13-point run that threatened the Red Raiders' going into the locker room. Sidney led 28-17 at the break.

Alliance came to within eight points in the third period, but an O'Connell flight to the basket, in traffic, fired up the Sidney squad and the Red Raiders sailed to the 15-point win from that point.

Other scorers in the game were: Ryan Birner (7), Tyler Wintholz (6), Radcliffe (5), Price (3), Arik Doty (2) and Seth Trost (2).

Sidney now has a weeklong break from competition as the squad prepares for the Cabela's Holiday Shootout, which begins Dec. 28 and runs through Dec. 30 at Sidney High School. The Red Raiders will face Torrington, Wyo., in the first round on Dec. 28 at 7:15 p.m.

Sidney 50, Ft. Morgan 38

The Red Raiders began the weekend on Friday night by beating back the Ft. Morgan Mustangs, 50-38, in a battle that saw Wintholz, Porter and O'Connell once again lead the pack in double digits offensively.

With a 16-point performance off six buckets and a 4-of-13 showing from the line, Wintholz was the top scorer for Sidney and was also a force to be reckoned with defensively.

It was a performance that had to be realized; the Mustangs were able to hang with Sidney early, keeping it tied 6-6 in the first period. The Raiders applied a little more gas leading up to the halftime buzzer, outscoring Ft. Morgan, 14-11, to take a 20-16 lead into the locker room.

Along with Wintholz, a command of the boards was displayed by Porter, who added 13 points off four deuces, a three-pointer and two shots from the line. O'Connell was perfect at 5-of-5 on his two-point shots and also added a free throw for 11 points.

Other scorers for Sidney were: Birner (5), Means (2), Trost (2) and Price (1).