Poplar Boys Capture Second Place At District Tournament

Poplar’s boys’ basketball squad fell behind in the third quarter and couldn’t come all the way back during the District 2B championship contest in Wolf Point on Saturday, Feb. 17. Malta posted a 55-45 victory for the district title.

The Indians will take on Shelby at 2:30 p.m. on Thursday, Feb. 22, in the first round of the divisional tournament held in Malta.

A three-pointer by Delray Lilley and a drive by Walker Burshia put the Indians ahead 22-21 early in the third quarter. After Malta’s Mason Simanton scored inside, Lilley hit a basket on an inbounds play for a 24-23 advantage.

The Mustangs then ran off the next eight points. During the stretch, Lilley was called for a questionable charge and headed to the bench with his fourth foul.

Poplar struggled from the foul stripe for the rest of the quarter and trailed by a 34-26 margin at the end of the period.

Baskets by Geordy Medicine Cloud kept the Indians within striking distance for most of the fourth period. Malta, however, gained a 4735 lead on hoops by Carson Ottinger and Simanton with three minutes remaining.

A hoop by Burshia and a basket by Lilley, after a steal by Medicine Cloud, pulled Poplar to 47-39. Three-pointers by Medicine Cloud and Lilley got the Indians as close as 49-43 with 1:08 left.

Free throws by Bohdi Brenden put the contest away for the Mustangs.

Top scorers for Poplar were Lilley with 14 and Burshia with 10 points. Also scoring were Medicine Cloud with eight, Cetan Growing Thunder with eight and Kaniel Ricker with five points.

Leading Malta were Brenden with 17 and Simanton with 11 points.