By Staff

            MCPHERSON – It was a solid season and home opener on Thursday for the McPherson boys basketball program as they hammered visiting Dodge City, winning by 42 points, 74-32.

            The Bullpups jumped all over the Red Demons in the first quarter, taking a commanding 24-6 lead before pushing their advantage out to 28 points at 41-13 as the two teams headed for the halftime break.

            While Dodge City did manage to put up 19 points in the third quarter, McPherson added 23 to their stat book, pushing the lead out to 32 points at 64-32 heading into the final quarter where the Red Demons scored zero points and the Bullpup bench put up 10 for the final 74-32 score.

            McPherson shot 48% from the field and hit on 36% of their shots beyond the three-point arc while holding Dodge City to just 31% from the field and only three-of-sixteen from the three-point line.

            Twelve different Bullpups put points in the scorebook with Kreighton Kanitz leading the way with 12 while Owen and Gabe Pyle both reached double figures with 10 and Cory Muehler chipped in with nine while Kyden Thompson scored eight.

            With the Bullpups winning the team rebounding stat 41-26, it is not surprising that twelve Bullpups grabbed at least one carom for their stat sheet led by Cory Muehler with nine while Owen Pyle grabbed six and Gabe Pyle hauled in five.

            McPherson showed it was a team effort as they dished out 21 assists on 30 made shots with Kyden Thompson, Cory Muehler, Mason Miller and Gabe Pyle all passing out four each.

            Next up for the Bullpups will be a road trip on Tuesday to Derby.

MCPHERSON BULLPUPS hosting Dodge City

SCORING: Dodge City > 6-7-19-0=32; BULLPUPS > 24-17-23-10=74

TEAM STATS:

Dodge City: FGs – 13/42 (31%); 3-PTs – 3/16 (19%); FTs – 3/9 (33%); AST – 5; RBs – 26 (5/21); FLs – 15; TO – 23; STLs – 3; BLKs – 9.

BULLPUPS: FGs – 30/63 (48%); 3-PTs – 5/14 (36%); FTs – 9/13 (69%); AST – 21; RBs – 41 (14/27); FLs – 10; TO – 14; STLs – 15; BLKs – 1.

BULLPUP INDIVIDUAL STAT LEADERS:

Scoring: Kreighton Kanitz – 12; Owen Pyle, Gabe Pyle – 10; Cory Muehler – 9; Kyden Thompson – 8; Mason Miller – 7; Hayden Hoxie – 6; Gavin Wedel – 4; Henry Boese, Gage Egging, Jaxson Malvo, Jett Pyle – 2.

3-Pointers: O. Pyle, G. Pyle – 2; Muehler – 1.

Assists: Muehler, Thompson, Miller, G. Pyle – 4.

Rebounds: Muehler – 9, O. Pyle – 6; G. Pyle – 5, Kanitz, Miller – 4; Thompson – 3.

Steals: Thompson, Kanitz – 4; Muehler – 3; O.Pyle, G.Pyle – 2.

Blocked Shots: Kanitz – 1.

 (The Staff covering McPherson County Activities can be reached by email at crossdovewriter@gmail.com)