Bulldogs Open With Win Over Savage

The Bainville Bulldogs broke away in the fourth quarter to stop Savage, 52-41, in the first round of the District 2C boys’ basketball tournament in Sidney on Tuesday, Feb. 14.

The Bulldogs gained a 14-point lead during the third quarter only to see Savage strike for 12 straight points.

Bainville led 35-31 at the end of the third quarter and started the fourth period off on a high note when Ayden Knudsen hit a three-pointer.

After Savage battled back to 38-35 on baskets by Sayer Erickson and Hunter Sanders, Bainville’s Cayden Boyd accounted for five straight points for a 43-35 lead with 4:08 left. A three-pointer by Charles Butikofer increased the margin to 46-35 with 3:14 remaining.

The Warriors came as close as 46-41 when Erickson canned a three-pointer with 1:18 left, but Bainville put the contest away on free throws by Knudsen and Alex Strickland.

Top scorers for the Bulldogs were Knudsen with 18 and Strickland with 13 points.

Also scoring were C. Butikofer with eight, Boyd with seven and Samuel Butikofer with six points.

Knudsen finished with three assists and four steals.

Leading Savage were Erickson with 14 and Zane Pilgeram with 11 points.

Sanders grabbed nine rebounds. Cade Tombre had four assists.

The first quarter ended in a 7-7 deadlock. A three-pointer by Knudsen with three seconds left in the half put Bainville ahead by a 17-11 margin.

Three-pointers by Knudsen and C. Butikofer along with consecutive baskets by Strickland increased the Bulldogs’ lead to 33-19 during the third quarter.