The South Loup Bobcats endured a challenging non-conference weekend, dropping a pair of games against quality opponents in Cambridge and Pleasanton as they continued to gain experience against tough competition.

On Friday night, South Loup traveled to Cambridge and fell 60-28 to the Trojans. The Bobcats struggled to find offensive rhythm early, managing just one bucket in the opening quarter as Cambridge jumped out to an 11-2 lead. South Loup showed improvement in the second period, scoring 10 points, but Cambridge continued to stretch the margin to take a 30-12 lead into halftime.

Cambridge pulled away in the third quarter, outscoring South Loup 24-12. South Loup finished the night shooting 11-of-48 from the field (23 percent) and 3-of-8 from three-point range, while converting 3-of-7 free throws. Senior Neltje Reiff led the Bobcats with 8 points on an efficient shooting night, including a pair of three-pointers. Jade Bierman added 5 points, and Emma Stallbaumer chipped in 5 while also pulling down a team-high 8 rebounds.

Despite the final score, South Loup showed effort on the glass, beating Cambridge 28-24 on rebounds, with Stallbaumer, Kaygan Witthuhn, and Gracie Brennan contributing on the boards. The Bobcats also tallied 8 assists and 9 steals, with Asa Starr and Stallbaumer each recording two steals. Turnovers proved costly, however, as South Loup committed 31 giveaways, allowing Cambridge to convert defensive pressure into transition points.

Saturday, Dec. 13 South Loup faced another physical test against Pleasanton, falling 44-19. With Pleasanton’s defensive pressure limiting clean looks, South Loup was unable to generate consistent offense. Pleasanton controlled the tempo throughout the game, using strong rebounding and ball movement to build and maintain its lead.

Pleasanton shot 15-of-58 from the field and made 14-of-23 free throws, while South Loup was held to 19 points for the game. Full Bobcat statistics were not available at press time, but the scoreboard reflected the difficulty South Loup had breaking through a disciplined Pleasanton defense that forced turnovers and disrupted the Bobcat offense.

Pleasanton was led by Kenlie Zwiener with 11 points, while Tenley Flood added 9 and Emme Westland chipped in 6. The Bulldogs also controlled the rebounding battle and finished with 34 steals as a team, cementing their path to victory.

Though the weekend results did not go the Bobcats’ way, South Loup continued to rotate players and gain minutes for their younger players, giving them valuable experience for future contests. The Bobcats will look to clean up turnovers and improve shooting efficiency as the season continues.

The South Loup squad will host the Medicine Valley Raiders at home on Friday, Dec. 19, with tip-off set for 4 p.m. Then the Bobcats will travel to the Maxwell Holiday Tournament Dec. 22-23 for their final contest before Christmas break.