Boys win, girls lose versus Deshler, Jasper
Varsity Boys
Russellville 68, Deshler 64
The RHS boys started a week that served as a good test with a home win over the Deshler Tigers.
The Class 4A No. 8-ranked Deshler team was without a key player in J.P. Robinson, who missed the game with an ankle injury, and RHS jumped out to a quick 12-2 lead. The two squads were even on the scoreboard at the half at 30-30 before Russellville came out in the third quarter and built a seven-point advantage going into the game’s final period.
Russellville used a zone defense and managed to make enough free throws down the stretch to get the win. Lucas McNutt led RHS with 24 points, while Devin Buckhalter also scored in double figures with 15. Caden Parker scored eight, and Jeb Bishop pitched in with seven points. Chandler Dyas returned after missing some playing time with an ankle injury of his own and had six for Russellville. Will Bonner had five points, while Jamaal Hubbard had two and Collin Bonner scored one.
Russellville 75, Jasper 73 (OT)
Two 5A teams got together Friday night at RHS, and the squads had an exciting game in front of a big crowd.
McNutt scored 23 points for Russellville and, with a three-pointer with 15 seconds remaining in the first half, passed the 1,000-point mark in his career. McNutt’s teammate, Buckhalter, also accomplished the feat earlier this season, and the two seniors make a dynamic duo on the court.
“This is my 20th year in coaching, and I’ve had some kids reach 1,000 points, but I’ve never coached a team that has had two,” said Russellville head coach Patrick Odom. “So to have two guys like that is special. Lucas is a special kid and a special player, and to see him hit that milestone, I’m so proud of him – not just for the basketball part but for the type of kid he is, representing our program.”
RHS (17-6, No. 7 in 5A) and Jasper fought back-and-forth for the lead in the game, and Parker had an important steal on defense for Russellville, along with two clutch free-throws in OT to seal the victory.
McNutt (23), Buckhalter (22), Dyas (11), Will Bonner (8), Parker (4), Bishop (4) and Collin Bonner (3) scored for the Golden Tigers.
Varsity Girls
Deshler 62, Russellville 24
The Lady Golden Tigers struggled on offense and fell to Deshler’s team at home Jan. 22.
RHS trailed 31-15 at the half and scored nine points in the third quarter and none in the fourth.
Krista Sikes led Russellville with six points. Alivia Clemmons had five, while AJ Taylor and Lexie Glass had four points each. Fallin Cox and Makala O’Neal scored two apiece, and Autumn Logan had one.
Jasper 56, Russellville 42
The Jasper Lady Vikings came to RHS and used a good second quarter to get the win over Russellville. After the two teams were even at the end of the first period, Jasper outscored RHS 17-4 in the second quarter.
“We got into the second quarter and went ice cold from the floor,” said Russellville head coach Corey Thomaston. “I thought our energy dropped a little bit because we weren’t able to convert possessions on the offensive end, and it gave us just a little bit of a letdown on the defensive end as well.”
Russellville (4-20) was led in scoring by Madison Murray’s 16 points. Glass (8), Taylor (7), Logan (4) and Sikes (3) also scored, along with Don’Kyiah Ramson (2), Alivia Clemmons (1) and Chalea Clemmons (1).
