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Loyal boys beat back Colby rally

Loyal boys beat back Colby rally Loyal boys beat back Colby rally

With Loyal senior guard Daymian Baird having a career night, the Loyal boys basketball team was able to build a big enough second-half lead to stave off a fierce Colby comeback and emerge with a 67-51 Eastern Cloverbelt Conference win. The victory enabled Loyal to hold onto fifth place in the ECC.

Baird pumped in 32 points on the night as Loyal took a 33-24 halftime lead and then dominated the early part of the second half to take a 49-26 lead at the 10:04 mark.

While Colby committed numerous turnovers enroute to the big deficit, it was Loyal that started to play loose with the ball to blow multiple scoring opportunities. The Greyhounds committed unforced turnovers in bunches as Colby went on a 19-3 run to cut the lead to 52-45 with 5:54 to go.

Kaiden Hagen stopped the run with two free throws and then a drive to the hoop for a bucket. Hagen hit two more free throws with 4:14 left to keep the lead at 59-47.

Colby tried fouling down the stretch to get back into it, but the Greyhounds went 9-10 from the line in the last 4:29 to seal the win. Loyal went 17-25 on the night at the line while Colby was 18-27.

Baird hit four shots from 3-point range on the way to his 32-point night. Hagen added 11 points, Drew Stieglitz scored 10 and Deagan Sandelier added nine.

Brent Jeske led Colby with 15 points and Kaden Wieses scored 12.

Loyal’s Kaden Olson defends Colby’s Mason Schmutzler during the Greyhounds’ 67-51 win over the Hornets on Jan. 29 in Loyal. Loyal built a 23-point lead midway through the second half, but a 19-3 Colby run made it a close game until Loyal put it away in the end.

DEAN LESAR/STAFF PHOTO

Rocket girls slide past Gilman

Spencer’s Heavyn Kind crosses over with her dribble in an attempt to get past Gilman’s Katelynn Schmitt during the Rockets’ 51-48 win over the Pirates on Jan. 30 in Spencer. Kind scored 22 points for Spencer while Jorie Miller scored nine and Faith Miller added eight. The Rockets trailed 21 -17 at the half, but Kind scored 17 points after the break to lead a late Rocket surge that gave them their fourth Eastern Cloverbelt Conference win of the season. Spencer will begin WIAA Division 4 regional play with a home game against Abbotsford on Feb. 9.

MATT FREY/MEDFORD STAR NEWS PHOTO

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