By Marisa Dawson
The Bennington High School basketball teams delivered strong performances in a home doubleheader against Lincoln Standing Bear on Tuesday, January 20, with the boys claiming a convincing 65-46 victory and the girls following with a dominant 62-37 win. The contests also marked senior night, with recognitions for the graduating players taking place between the games.
The boys’ game kicked off the evening, and Bennington built an early lead before pulling away decisively in the second half. The Badgers jumped out to a 16-5 advantage in the first quarter, but Standing Bear narrowed the gap in the second (17-11), making it a 27-22 halftime score in Bennington’s favor. The third quarter proved pivotal, as Bennington erupted for 23 points while holding Standing Bear to 11, extending the lead and securing the 19-point win.
Coach Luke Olson highlighted the team’s improved intensity after halftime. “The second half was good,” Olson said. “I didn’t think we had a great second quarter, but in the second half, they came out… In the third quarter, they really turned it up in the house. Turned them over, passed the cup in transition. That kind of opened it up.” He noted the squad’s defensive pressure led to 18 steals as a team.
On shot selection, Olson acknowledged ongoing progress despite a night where shooting wasn’t as sharp. “It’s getting better, we’re doing a better job. We’re still scoring points. We didn’t shoot as well tonight… but overall, I thought it was a good step in the right direction.” He praised ball handling and rotations overall, adding that the team valued the ball for the most part, though occasional over-eagerness crept in while pushing for a larger lead.
Leading the way for Bennington was junior Blaize Jung with a game-high 23 points, complemented by 5 assists, 4 rebounds, and 2 steals. Junior Landon McCarville added 16 points, and Jonas Neuverth contributed 10 points and 8 rebounds. Both seniors, Brady Nichols and Myles Gifford, also contributed to the point total. The Badgers shot 49% from the field (28-of-57) and dished out 20 assists in the balanced effort, improving to 10-5 overall.
In the girls’ game that followed, Bennington maintained a slim edge at halftime (27-25) before exploding in the third quarter, outscoring Standing Bear 25-4 to blow the game open. The Badgers’ defensive urgency and energy fueled a barrage of steals (25 as a team) and transition opportunities, leading to the 25-point victory and keeping their perfect record intact at 17-0.
Coach John O’Connor credited the halftime adjustments for the turnaround. “Just our urgency on defense, our energy on defense,” he said. “That was something that the girls talked about at halftime and they wanted to do a better job of that.” He praised Standing Bear’s quality players but emphasized his team’s anticipation and positioning in the press. “They do a good job of anticipating, reading, reacting and being in the right place at the right time.”
O’Connor expressed particular pride in his seniors on the night. “Tonight was senior night. Our two seniors, Reese Almquist and Regan Bluhm, have been good members of our foundation… They do a great job of putting the team first, even as seniors, and we’re really proud of them and excited to get a win on senior night.”
Bennington’s scoring was spread out, with standout contributions including Haydin Jackson’s 26 points, Harper Bohaboj’s 25, Macie Reiner’s 21, and 18 each from Skylar Johnson and Reese Almquist. The Badgers grabbed 29 rebounds and tallied 17 assists in the commanding performance.
Both Bennington squads showcased defensive prowess and second-half dominance to secure the sweep, capping a memorable senior night with victories on the home court.
