After a strong start against Maxwell to open the RPAC tournament, the Wauneta-Palisade boys’ basketball finished with losses to Dundy County-Stratton and Wallace.

Second round loss to DCS
    Despite WP Schools being closed Monday and Tuesday for the weather, WP still traveled to Maxwell Tuesday to face DCS.
    WP Head Coach Dave Kuhlen said his team seems to do better with a routine, but both schools were canceled Monday so neither had an advantage.
    Both teams got off to slow starts. Midway through the first quarter the teams began to pick up speed. Six-straight points by WP, coming from Cash Yearous, Dalton Harchelroad and Austen Rozelle, gave the Broncos a 7-5 lead. The teams traded baskets, ending the quarter with an 11-11 tie.
    Rozelle scored on back-to-back possessions early in the quarter and paired with a three-pointer by Ben Anderjaska WP took an 18-17 lead.
    As the quarter wore on, WP found itself at the free throw line often. Ty Duvel and Anderjaska made four-of-six free throws to go along with a Rozelle put back.
    The Broncos held a 26-25 lead with 2:44 left in the second quarter, but DCS closed out the half with a 0-8 run.
    The third quarter was brutal for the Broncos. WP was outscored 4-24 with its only basket coming from Harchelroad. Rozelle and Caid Doetker each made one free throw.
    Yearous scored eight of WP’s 14-fourth quarter points. Yearous finished the game with a team-high 12 points.
    Duvel and Rozelle also added baskets for WP in the fourth quarter. The final score was 44-65.
    Rozelle added 11 points.
    WP only made two-of-15 three-point attempts, while DCS made seven-of-20. DCS outshot WP from inside the arc as well. WP made 14-39 attempts (36 percent) to DCS’s 19-34 (56 percent).
    Kuhlen is hopeful that better ball movement will help the Broncos shooting percentage and said the team will make that a point of emphasis.
    The Broncos did get to the charity stripe more, attempting 24 free throws to DCS’s 13 attempts. WP made 10 free throws.
    Doetker led WP with nine rebounds. Rozelle grabbed eight rebounds. Anderjaska had a team-high three assists.
To read the full story, subscribe to the e-edition online or call the Breeze at 308-394-5389 to subscribe to the print edition