Poplar Opens With Victory Over Shelby

Poplar put on an offensive clinic during the second quarter as the Indians knocked off Shelby, 66-47, in the first round of the Northern B divisional boys’ basketball tournament held in Malta on Thursday, Feb. 22.

The Indians accounted for 29 points and hit seven threepoint shots in the second period to gain a 37-21 advantage.

After trailing by an 11-8 margin at the end of the first quarter, the Indians opened the second period with consecutive three-pointers by Geordy Medicine Cloud and Delray Lilley.

A basket off a rebound by Walker Burshia and another three-pointer by Medicine Cloud increased the margin to 19-13.

Poplar kept rolling later in the quarter as a hoop by Burshia, two free throws by Lilley and a three-pointer by Reum put the margin at 26-15.

After Shelby’s Randon Richman hit a three-pointer with two minutes left in the half, the Indians responded with a pair of three-pointers by Kaniel Ricker and Medicine Cloud for a 32-18 lead. Rickman accounted for a three-point play, but an inside basket by Burshia and a three-pointer by Reum put the margin at 16 points at the half.

The hot shooting of Ricker led the Indians to a 44-25 advantage early in the third quarter.

Ahead by a 44-28 margin, the Indians ran off the final 11 points of the third quarter on a three-pointer by Ricker, two baskets by Burshia, a 14-footer by Quinn Sutherland and a fast-break basket by Lilley for a 44-28 advantage.

The Coyotes couldn’t get closer than 20 points in the last quarter until a three-pointer at the buzzer.

Top scorers for the Indians were Burshia with 18, Ricker with 15 and Medicine Cloud with 12 points. Lilley finished with nine points.

Also scoring for Poplar were Reum with six, Quinn Sutherland with four and Cetan Growing Thunder with two points.

Leading Shelby were Kyle McDermott with 15 and Richman with 14 points.