Broncos pick up first win at Cattle Trail Tournament

    The Wauneta-Palisade Broncos picked up their first win of the season Saturday in their final game of the Cattle Trail Tournament in McCook.
    WP opened the tournament with a 15-65 loss to Dundy County Stratton.
    The Broncos were held to a Michael Duvel free throw in the first quarter and two baskets by Ruel Malcolm in the second quarter.
    Robert Hanna and Aidan Kennicutt each made a basket in the third quarter.
    WP rounded out scoring with fourth quarter baskets by Duvel and Malcolm and two free throws by Hanna.
    Malcolm led the Broncos with six points in the game.
Fall to Arapahoe
    On Friday, three first quarter three pointers by Arapahoe set the tone early in the Broncos 23-44 loss to the Warriors.
    Grant Walker and Duvel scored WP’s four first quarter points. Grayden Sutherland made the Broncos’ only second quarter field goal and Hanna added a free throw. WP trailed 7-26 at halftime.
    WP’s shooting struggles continued in the third quarter. Hanna and Ashton Wheeler each made a field goal coming out of halftime.
    Half of the Broncos’ fourth quarter points came on buckets from a cutting basket by Nathan Blackman and two shots from Hanna. WP went 6-16 from the charity stripe in the quarter.
    Hanna scored eight points to lead the Broncos.
Win over Decatur Community
    WP wrapped up the tournament with a 34-24 win over Decatur Community, Kansas.
    Hanna put WP on the board early, but two Decatur Community three pointers in the game’s first two minutes left the Broncos trailing. Walker made a layup and three pointer to give WP a 9-6 lead, but the Broncos went scoreless over the quarter’s final three minutes and trailed 9-13.
    After a Red Devils’ free throw, WP got back-to-back buckets by Malcolm and Walker to close the gap to 13-14. The Broncos kept the game within one point until a Decatur Community three pointer made the score 16-20. Walker had an answer with 21 seconds left in the half to keep WP within one point, 19-20 at halftime.
    The first four minutes of the second half were busy. Walker and Kennicutt each scored two points to match four points put on the board by Decatur Community. They would be the Red Devils final points of the game.
    Neither team scored over the final four minutes of the quarter, however, and WP remained trailing, 23-24.
    Malcolm gave the Broncos the lead for good in the first 30 second of the fourth quarter with a jumper from the baseline.
    Two free throws by Hanna and a put back by Kennicutt extended the lead. A driving bucket by Hanna and layup by Malcolm increased the lead. One late free throw by Hanna finished off the 34-24 win.
Up next
    WP will head into the Christmas moratorium with a home match up against South Platte (1-3) Friday, then a trip to Sandhills Valley Saturday, before a Dec. 21 rematch at home against DCS (4-1).