The South Loup Bobcat boys basketball team concluded its MNAC tournament run with a split on the week, falling to Mullen on Monday, Jan. 26 before bouncing back with a decisive win over Arthur County on Friday, Jan. 30.

On Monday, Jan. 26, the Bobcats traveled to Dunning for the first round of MNAC action.

Despite a strong start, South Loup fell to Mullen 59-52 in a tightly contested battle.

South Loup opened with a 17-12 first-quarter advantage, but the Mullen Broncos responded with a dominant third quarter, outscoring the Bobcats 23-10 to seize control.

Senior Dylan Pandorf led the Bobcats with 22 points on 9-of-19 shooting, while Crew Witthuhn added 13 points and 14 rebounds, securing a double-double for both players. Conner Paulsen contributed 11 points and 4 rebounds, and freshman Hudson Vickers chipped in 5 points with 7 rebounds. South Loup totaled 44 rebounds, 10 assists, and 8 steals but struggled with shooting, hitting 32% from the field.

Mullen was paced by Jacob Walker’s 16 points and 7 rebounds, Ben Werner’s 14 points, and Alex Werner’s 10 points. The Broncos hit 34% from the floor but capitalized on the Bobcats’ turnovers to maintain their lead.

In Friday’s consolation game, the Bobcats rebounded emphatically with a 74-45 victory over Arthur County. South Loup dominated from the start, outscoring the Wolves 25-4 in the first quarter and maintaining control throughout.

Crew Witthuhn led the charge with 26 points, adding 12 rebounds and 7 steals, while Paulsen scored 22 points with 6 assists. Pandorf contributed 8 points and 7 rebounds, and Dawson Downing added 6 points.

South Loup shot 41% from the field and outrebounded Arthur County 18-30, showcasing balanced scoring and defensive pressure.

Arthur County was paced by Camden Mironenko’s 19 points and Zac Hanna’s 14 points, but the Wolves were unable to overcome South Loup’s early surge.

Though the Bobcats fell short against a tough Mullen squad, the decisive win over Arthur County demonstrated South Loup’s depth and resilience.

Seniors Pandorf, Paulsen, and Witthuhn led a balanced team effort that highlighted the Bobcats’ strong rebounding, defensive hustle, and ability to share scoring responsibilities. South Loup’s record stands at 6-10 on the season.

The Bobcats will look for some redemption from Mullen tomorrow, Feb. 6, as they host a contest against the Broncos in Arnold starting at 4 p.m. On Saturday, South Loup will travel to Oxford to challenge the Southern Valley Eagles. Tip-off for those games will be 2 p.m.