Basketball Game Preview: Wauneta-Palisade Broncos vs. Cheylin Cougars

The Wauneta-Palisade Broncos will head out on the road to square off against the Cheylin Cougars at 6:00 p.m. on Tuesday.

Wauneta-Palisade fought the good fight in their overtime game against Bertrand on Friday but wound up with a less-than-desirable result. They fell just short of the Vikings by a score of 51-49. While the Broncos didn't get the win, they did start the game off strong, beating the Vikings 12-8 in the first quarter.

Despite the defeat, Wauneta-Palisade saw an underclassman step up: freshman Mesa Cox dropped a double-double on 21 points and ten boards. As a matter of fact, that's the most points Cox has scored all season. The team also got some help courtesy of Kamryn Fanning, who posted 11 points and eight rebounds.

Even though they lost, Wauneta-Palisade smashed the offensive glass and finished the game with 20 offensive boards. That strong performance was nothing new for the team: they've now pulled down at least eight offensive rebounds in nine consecutive matchups dating back to last season.

Meanwhile, you're bound to get a positive result if you outscore your opponent every quarter, and that's exactly how it played out for Cheylin back in December of 2024. Given that consistent dominance, it should come as no surprise that they blew Logan/Palco out of the water with a 66-28 final score. That looming 66-28 mark stands out as the most commanding margin for the Cougars yet this season.

Wauneta-Palisade's loss dropped their record down to 4-4. As for Cheylin, the victory made it two in a row for them and bumps their season record up to 5-1.

Wauneta-Palisade was able to grind out a solid win over Cheylin in their previous meeting back in February of 2024, winning 58-50. One of the biggest obstacles the team faced in that game was Cheylin's Taylor McCarty, who dropped a double-double on 33 points and 15 rebounds. Now that she's got a second chance to win this matchup, will Wauneta-Palisade still be able to contain McCarty? Check MaxPreps.com after the match to find out.