It is time for Class 3A Patriot League games for the Yuma High School boys basketball team.
The Outlaws are 7-2 and No. 4 in the 3A Selection and Seeding Index after splitting two games last weekend. They rolled past Akron at home last Friday before dropping a double overtime decision Saturday afternoon at 2A No. 1 Simla.
They now host Brush on Friday in a 3A Patriot game. The Beetdiggers are 5-4 and sit at No. 31 in the 3A Index.
Yuma travels to old-foe Eaton on Saturday. The Reds are in the 4A Patriot, entering this week with a 4-4 record and No. 14 in the 4A Index.
The Outlaws then return to 3A Patriot play on Tuesday when they host Platte Valley. The Broncos entered this week 3-7 and No. 35 in the 3A Index.
Yuma had a fairly easy time last Friday at home against Akron, claiming a 74-35 win. The Outlaws ran out to a 22-6 lead in the first quarter, and led by as much as 20 in the second quarter.
They kept it up in the second half, finishing the game with a 17-1 advantage in the fourth quarter.
Yuma shot 58 percent, making 26 of 39 two-point shots, and seven of 18 from behind the 3-point arc. Akron shot 30 percent, including making just one 3-pointer.
Brody Sheffield made six of eight 3-pointers, finishing with 24 points, four rebounds and four assists. Jonathan Thomson had 19 points, five rebounds and four assists, Alex Pensado 14 points and four rebounds, Jose Mario Ross four points, Jalen Rose three points, Noe Quezada two points and two assists, Alan Flores two points, David Covarrubias two points, Silas Baucke two points and three rebounds, and Reyli Trejo two points, five rebounds and four assists.
The Outlaws played an exciting game Saturday afternoon at Simla. The Cubs’ only loss to date was by one point in overtime to 3A No. 1 Strasburg. It was another overtime game last Saturday, but this time it went two extra sessions, and Simla pulled out a 72-65 win over Yuma.
Obviously the game was tight throughout. Yuma led 13-12 after the first quarter. Simla led 28-26 at halftime, and led 36-33 after three. Yuma rallied in the fourth to force the game into overtime.
Both teams scored 12 points in first overtime, forcing another overtime with the teams tied at 63. However, Simla then pulled away with a 9-2 advantage.
Yuma actually made more shots than Simla, but the Cubs made 21 of 28 at the free-throw line, while Yuma shot only seven, making six.
The Outlaws were top-heavy in the scoring department. Sheffield made seven 3-pointers while finishing with 27 points, 10 rebounds, six assists, and four steals. Thomson had 22 points, 14 rebounds and three steals, Pensado 12 points, four rebounds and five assists, Quezada four points, Baucke three rebounds, and Trejo two rebounds.