South Loup hosted Maxwell in Arnold on Jan. 17 in a battle of the cats, with the Bobcats easily handling the Wildcats.

The Bobcats jumped out to an early lead and never looked back as they racked up 14 points in the first quarter, while holding Maxwell to just 5 points. South Loup nearly doubled the score on Maxwell in the second, 20-11, to take a dominating 34-16 lead into the halftime locker room.

The third period was the only one that was close as the Bobcats took a bit of a break, scoring only 8 points to the Wildcats’ 7. South Loup opened back up in the fourth with 14 more points while Maxwell was able to add 8 to their side of the board for a 54-29 final.

Crew Witthuhn led the Bobcats with 19 points and 14 rebounds. Conner Paulsen added 10 points and 11 rebounds, while Carter Wood contributed 6 points and Harper Johnson 5 points. Dylan Pandorf also had 5 points and displayed his quickness with 8 steals.

DANAH BALDWIN, STUDENT CORRESPONDENT

In an electric start to the Jan. 18 boys' basketball game against the Brady Eagles, Bobcat junior Conner Paulsen hit a 3-point shot at the buzzer to end the first quarter, sending South Loup into the second quarter with a burst of momentum.

Juniors Crew Witthuhn and Dylan Pandorf had standout performances on the night, combining for 46 of the team's 73 points. Witthuhn led the charge with 24 points, including 10 in the first quarter, while Pandorf added another 22 to keep the offense rolling throughout the game. Paulsen added 13 points to the Bobcat total.

The Bobcats' defense was relentless, limiting the Eagles options and creating fast-break opportunities. The Bobcats went into halftime with a lead of 37-25.

Witthuhn finished the night with 12 rebounds and 3 steals. Paulsen was a force on defense as well with 8 steals, 5 rebounds, and 2 blocks.

“We’ve been pushing ourselves all season, and it all came together on the court. We put up a good defense that really set us up for success on offense,” said AJ Starr.

The Bobcats were a powerhouse in this game, posting their highest-scoring game of the season with a 73-49 victory. The win was a testament to their hard work and improvement throughout the season, proving they are ready for the challenges ahead.

The Bobcats hosted Arcadia/Loup City in Callaway on Tuesday and is hosting Ansley/Litchfield in Arnold today (Jan. 23). Game time is 4 p.m. The conference tournament will be held next week with the Bobcats hosting their first-round game in Arnold on Tuesday against Arthur County at 7 p.m. Tip-off for the boys' varsity game is set for 7:30.