Basketball Recap: Hayden Dixon's Big Game Can't Quite Lead Stanton over Clarkson/Leigh

If Stanton was riding high fresh off their 62-30 takedown of Winside last Tuesday, their most recent game may have dampened their spirits a bit. The Stanton Mustangs took a 35-31 hit to the loss column at the hands of the Clarkson/Leigh Patriots. The contest was a 17-17 toss-up at halftime, but the Mustangs couldn't quite close it out.

Stanton's defeat came despite a true team effort with many players turning in solid performances. Perhaps the best among them was Hayden Dixon, who posted nine points and six boards. Another player making a difference was Kelby Pohlman, who scored seven points and seven rebounds.

Even though they lost, Stanton smashed the offensive glass and finished the game with 15 offensive boards. That strong performance was nothing new for the team: they've now pulled down at least nine offensive rebounds in six consecutive games.

Leading Clarkson/Leigh to victory were Brynn Settje and Izzy Hollatz. Settje put up 11 points and five steals, while Hollatz went 5-for-7 on her way to 15 points and five boards. Settje has become a key player for Clarkson/Leigh: the team is 8-1 when she posts at least five steals, but 4-10 otherwise. Vylet Hollatz also deserves some recognition as she posted her first block of the season.

Stanton's loss dropped their record down to 14-8. As for Clarkson/Leigh, they now have a winning record of 12-11.

As of now, neither Stanton nor Clarkson/Leigh have any future games scheduled.