After battling a week of illness and bad weather, the South Loup boys varsity basketball team (4-1) crushed the Medicine Valley Raiders on Friday, Dec. 16, in Curtis.

The Bobcats pulled ahead early and kept the lead through all four quarters, with a score 18-7 at the end of the first; 39-17 at the end of the half; 63-28 at the end of the third; and a final of 77-38.

Junior Cache Gracey had a great night under the bucket, scoring 19 points; followed by Crew Witthuhn and Conner Paulsen with 9 points each. Joey Sallach was 2 for 2 on free throws for the night. Trey Connell had 11 assists, and tied with Sallach for four defensive rebounds. Gracey and Dylan Pandorf had five steals each, followed by Connell with four.

The Bobcat JV team also beat the Raiders, but in a much closer game. The final was 42-41 in three quarters.

Paulsen put up 13 points, followed by AJ Starr with 10 points and Pandorf with 9 points. Nine of Paulsen’s points came from three-pointers, and earned him a perfect shooting record from the far line. Witthuhn had 8 total rebounds, followed by Pandorf with 4 rebounds.

The Bobcats played in the opening round of the Maxwell Holiday tournament on Monday, facing off against longtime rivals, Sandhills Valley Mavericks.