Dogies earn conference split — Newcastle players win over Burns, tested by Douglas

The Newcastle Dogies turned a week of focused preparation into a critical basketball conference win Friday night, holding off Burns 54-50 in the Dogie Dome, before seeing how thin the margin can be against a perennial 3A power in a 70-44 loss to Douglas the following night.

Head coach Allen Von Eye said the Burns game was circled early, not just because of standings, but because it presented a chance to measure how well his team was translating preparation into performance.

“Friday’s game was a big one for us, and we knew it would hold a lot of significance,” Von Eye said. “Our kids were very focused all week and did a great job in preparation.”

Burns came in playing at one of the fastest tempos in the state, but Newcastle was ready to meet that pace. The Dogies attacked early, pushing the ball in transition and getting downhill against the Broncs’ defense.

“Our guys got off to a fast start by playing with great pace and getting to the rim,” Von Eye said. “If we handled their pressure, we knew we’d create a lot of opportunities to score.”

Newcastle jumped out to a 16-8 first-quarter lead, with junior Kyan Allen setting the tone inside. Eight of Allen’s 20 points came in the opening period, all in the paint, forcing Burns to collapse defensively.

Foul trouble in the second quarter slowed Newcastle’s momentum and allowed Burns to ramp up its pressure and take a two-point lead into halftime. Von Eye said the response coming out of the locker room was a direct reflection of the team’s mindset.

“We came out and really dominated the third quarter by attacking the rim and getting to the free-throw line,” he said. “Even though we didn’t shoot it as well as we’d like, our approach was exactly what we wanted.”

Newcastle outscored Burns 15-4 in the third quarter, rebuilding control of the game through consistent paint touches and defensive stops.

The fourth quarter tested that resolve. Missed free throws opened the door for Burns to chip away, but Von Eye credited his team with staying composed and finishing the job.

“We struggled at the line, but we were still able to make enough plays defensively to hold them off,” he said. “That’s growth.”

Allen finished with 20 points, six rebounds and three steals. Teddy Troftgruben added eight points, seven rebounds and three assists, while Landen Hill provided a steady interior presence with six points and 11 rebounds. Colten Hatheway chipped in 12 points, nine of them coming at the free-throw line.

Saturday’s matchup against Douglas offered a different kind of lesson. The Bearcats, ranked among the state’s elite, established control early behind sharp perimeter shooting and physical play.

“They’re as good as advertised,” Von Eye said. “They’re big, they shoot it well, and they make you pay if you’re not sharp from the opening tip.”

Douglas raced to a 27–11 first-quarter lead, but Newcastle continued to battle and found success by putting pressure on the rim rather than settling.

“I thought our guys did a great job of continuing to attack,” Von Eye said. “We didn’t shoot it well from the perimeter, but we got to the basket and made those count.”

Newcastle delivered one of its better defensive stretches in the third quarter, holding Douglas to 10 points, but missed opportunities at the free-throw line prevented the Dogies from cutting into the deficit.

“That’s the margin against a team like that,” Von Eye said. “You have to capitalize when you get chances.”

Newcastle closed strong, outscoring Douglas 17–14 in the fourth quarter, but the early hole proved too deep.

Allen led the Dogies with 19 points and seven rebounds, while Troftgruben added 11 points and eight assists. Coen Tavegie knocked down three 3-pointers for nine points.

Newcastle faces another demanding stretch this week with games against Custer, Glenrock and Torrington.

Statistics

Burns 50, Newcastle 54

Points by quarter

Burns 8-19-4-19 — 50

Newcastle 16-9-15-14 — 54

Field goals: Burns 19-62 (31%), Newcastle 18-41 (44%); 3-point shooting: Burns 6-22 (27%), Newcastle 2-10 (20%); Free throws: Burns 6-8 (75%),; Newcastle 16-33 (48%); Rebounds: Burns, 28; Newcastle, 37; Turnovers: Burns, 16; Newcastle, 22; Assists: Burns, 15; Newcastle ,10; Steals: Burns, 11; Newcastle, 6.

Top Dogies

Kyan Allen: 20 points, 6 rebounds, 3 steals; Colten Hatheway: 12 points; Teddy Troftgruben: 8 points, 7 rebounds, 3 assists; Landen Hill: 6 points, 11 rebounds.

Douglas 70, Newcastle 44

Points by quarter:

Douglas 27-19-10-14 — 70

Newcastle 11-12-4-17 — 44

Field goals: Douglas, 26-59 (44%); Newcastle, 18-46 (39%); Three-point shooting: Douglas, 8-27 (30%); Newcastle 3-16 (19%); Free throws: Douglas, 10-13 (77%); Newcastle, 5-13 (38%); Rebounds: Douglas, 41; Newcastle, 19; Turnovers: Douglas, 10; Newcastle, 13; Assists: Douglas, 17; Newcastle, 13; Steals: Douglas, 8; Newcastle, 4.

Top Dogies

Kyan Allen: 19 points, 7 rebounds; Teddy Troftgruben: 11 points, 8 assists; Coen Tavegie: 9 points