Poplar Falls To Wildcats In First Round

Plentywood pulled away in the fourth quarter to defeat Poplar, 51-42, in the first round of the District 2B boys’ basketball tournament in Malta on Thursday, Feb. 26.

A pair of free throws by Poplar’s Wilder Bearcub closed the margin to 37-34 at the end of the third quarter.

After a three-pointer by Ryder Olson pulled the Indians to 40-39 a couple of minutes into the fourth quarter, Plentywood responded with two free throws by Landon Flickinger and a baseline shot by Andy Kaul.

The Indians stayed within reach when Dane Moran connected on a three-pointer to cut the margin to 44-42 with 3:26 remaining.

The Indians, however, were held scoreless the rest of the way. Free throws by Henry Kukowski and Will Shackelford put Plentywood up 48-42 with just 1:04 left. Flickinger added three free throws down the stretch.

Top scorers for the Indians were Bearcub with 13 and Moran with 10 points.

Also scoring were Chasen Pribbernow with eight, Olson with six, Stephen Smoker with three and Chance Pribbernow with two.

Leading the Wildcats were Flickinger with 20, Kaul with 10 and Kukowski with 10 points.

Plentywood led 10-7 at the end of the first quarter and increased its advantage to 19-11 midway into the second period.

Three-pointers by Moran and Olson helped Poplar close the margin to 24-19 at the half.

The Indians struck for six straight points during the third quarter on baskets by Chance Pribbernow, Bearcub and Chasen Pribbernow for a 31-31 deadlock.

Plentywood’s Kaul and Shackelford hit three-pointers to put the Wildcats ahead 37-34 at the end of the period.