Raiders roll in final home game

Tyler Wintholz and Logan Lewis put an exclamation mark to Sidney’s 54-36 win over Mitchell on Saturday evening.

Deep in the fourth quarter, Wintholz took possession on the left wing and waited for developments. Suddenly he lofted the ball across the face of the rim, where Lewis nabbed it mid-air and dropped it for a smoothly executed ally-oop.

“We don’t get style points at the post,” Lewis said with a laugh. “I was just hoping he made a good pass and it was on the money.”

Despite the margin—and the added flair—the contest at Cabela’s Athletic Facility was not without drama.

The Tigers held tight through the first period, matching Sidney almost point for point. The visitors even jumped out in front during the game’s early going, behind the inside shooting of Bo McVay and Jamie Fegler.

“They came out strong,” Lewis pointed out. “No one’s played bad against us this year.”

Wintholz and Lewis accounted for all of Sidney’s first quarter points as the Raiders pulled out on top, 11-6.

Lane Harvey, Lucas Rosenbaum and Paxton Ehler soon joined the fray, however, all lighting the scoreboard in the second period. Harvey was particularly active, sinking a three and scoring on an acrobatic layup after weaving through much of Mitchell’s defense.

Yet the issue was still in doubt as the first half wound down—that is until Cody Frerichs forced his way to an offensive rebound and put back just over a minute before the break.

“I had the kid pinned and grabbed the ball,” Frerichs explained. “I was leaning and saw an opening, so I took the shot.”

He was fouled in the act and hit the bonus, completing a 3-point play to give Sidney a 28-19 advantage. Mitchell’s Alex Morales countered with a traditional three, but Harvey closed out the half with a finger roll.

The teams headed into the locker rooms with the Raiders on top 30-22.

After the break, it was all Sidney. Seven Raiders scored in the game. In the third quarter alone, the home side pummeled the Tigers 15-7, starting with a reverse layup by Wintholz, ending with a power move by Nick Castner. In between there were points from Lewis and Ehler.

Wintholz had a ready explanation for the shift in complexion.

“It changed because our guys were getting better looks,” he said.

Although the Raiders pulled away, Mitchell continued to battle—and Sidney kept hustling. Late in the game, Ryan Birner even made a spectacular save on the defensive end. The sophomore dove toward the back wall as a loose ball bounced over the baseline and flipped it back to Castner.

“I just threw it,” Birner said, pointing out that he had no target in mind. “I was lucky, I guess.”

But the alley oop pass may be what people remember from Sidney’s victory.

“We practice it all the time,” Wintholz claimed, smiling. “Me and him have a connection.”

Lewis admitted the two indeed try out the spectacular pass-and-shoot play in practice, though they do so without any serious intention.

“We like to joke around,” he said. “I think if we really worked on it in practice, we’d be in trouble.”

The Raiders are now 15-6 on the year. They head to Alliance on Friday to wrap up the season.

District play begins for the boys on March 1.

Boys Basketball

Sidney 54

Mitchell 36

Saturday