The Bobcat boys basketball team showed plenty of grit and try over this past week, rebounding from a tough road loss against the Anselmo-Merna Coyotes on Tuesday to answer with a commanding home victory over the Hi-Line Bulls to bring their late season record to 9-11.

On Tuesday Feb. 10, South Loup fell 73–56 to Anselmo- Merna in Merna. The Coyotes opened strong, outscoring the Bobcats 23–9 in the first quarter and maintaining control throughout the game. After the Bobcats’ cold start, they hit a rhythm as the minutes passed but just couldn’t overcome that first quarter deficit.

South Loup battled gamely throughout the contest, led by senior Crew Witthuhn, who recorded 21 points, 16 rebounds, 4 steals, and 4 blocks. Conner Paulsen followed with 17 points, 4 assists, and 4 steals, while Dylan Pandorf added 12 points and 6 rebounds.

The Bobcats shot 37% from the field and 38% from the free-throw line, going 25-for-67 overall. Anselmo- Merna countered with balanced scoring, including 9 successful shots from beyond the arc. Junior Dane Duryea led the charge with 21 points, and Kayden Record and Colin Wright each added 17. The Coyotes shot 48% percent from the floor and pulled away late to secure the win.

South Loup regrouped on Feb. 13 at home and were ready for some retribution. They took down the Hi-Line Bulls 63–54 in a high-energy matchup that showcased their efforts on both ends of the court. After trailing 24–21 at halftime, the Bobcats stormed back with a 26-point fourth quarter to seal the deal.

Paulsen led all scorers with 24 points, including an impressive 11-of-14 from the free-throw line. Two Bobcats collected double-doubles on the effort, Pandorf and Crew Witthuhn. Pandorf tallied 17 points and 11 rebounds, while Witthuhn dominated the boards with his own 16 points and 19 rebounds. Freshman Hudson Vickers contributed 4 points, 9 rebounds, and 3 assists, while sophomore Tysen Schacher rounded out the scoring with one bucket and 4 steals on defense.

South Loup struggled with accuracy at times, shooting 32% from the field and just 8% from threepoint range, but were boosted by their 70% success rate from the foul line, finishing 24-for-76 overall. The Bobcats controlled the glass with a 49–21 rebounding advantage and forced multiple turnovers through aggressive defense, recording 13 steals as a team in the victory.

Just one regular game remains on South Loup’s radar for the 2025-26 season, with sub-districts set to begin next week. First, though, the Bobcats will travel to Sumner to challenge the SEM Mustangs on Friday, Feb. 20. They will look to use last week’s momentum against the 12-8 Mustangs to notch one more in the win column before heading into post-season play. Games will get underway at 5 p.m., with two quarters of JV followed by varsity action.