Dogies rally past Belle Fourche in OT, fall to Douglas

The Newcastle Dogies delivered their most complete response of the season last Thursday, rallying from a 21-point first-quarter deficit to defeat Belle Fourche 54–51 in overtime in a makeup game from the Stateline Shootout.

The win marked the return of senior Teddy Troftgruben to the lineup and showcased the continued growth of a Newcastle squad that has steadily improved through a demanding pre-conference schedule.

“We knew that this was a winnable game due to the growth that we’ve been seeing out of our squad and the even matchups between the two teams,” head coach Allen Von Eye said. “We also knew that they were going to zone us, so it presented an opportunity for growth.”

Newcastle got off to a slow start defensively, committing several unforced turnovers that allowed Belle Fourche to build an early advantage. The Broncs led 23–8 after the first quarter and pushed the margin to as many as 21 points before Newcastle began to settle in.

Getting Troftgruben back for the first time this season provided an immediate boost, even as the Dogies worked through an adjustment period.

“We switched our pick-and-roll coverage up a little bit and that really gave them fits,” Von Eye said. “We also started to be more efficient on offense, which allowed us to whittle away at the lead.”

Newcastle trimmed the deficit to 12 points by halftime and continued to chip away after the break, cutting the lead to six during the third quarter. Belle Fourche responded with a short run to open the fourth, but the Dogies stayed locked in.

“We stressed scores and stops, possession by possession, and our kids remained focused the entire time,” Von Eye said.

Trailing by five with just over a minute remaining, Troftgruben knocked down a clutch 3-pointer to spark the comeback. Moments later, sophomore Landen Hill came up with a steal and junior Kyan Allen finished in transition to tie the game.

Newcastle then defended the final possession to force overtime.

The Dogies faced another challenge when Troftgruben fouled out early in the extra period, but the team again responded. Hill scored on a strong interior finish before Colten Hatheway buried a key 3-pointer. Newcastle closed out the win by forcing a contested Belle Fourche three on the final possession.

Hill finished with his third double-double of the season, posting 13 points and 14 rebounds. Troftgruben delivered an impressive all-around return with eight points, eight rebounds and seven assists. Allen added 12 points, while Hatheway contributed nine points and Coen Tavegie chipped in with eight.

Newcastle followed the comeback win with a road loss to No. 3-ranked Douglas, falling 75–33.

“We were up to the task in the first quarter,” Von Eye said. “We played really solid defense and did a great job of attacking on offense.”

Douglas led 12–9 after one quarter before its depth and perimeter shooting took control. The Bearcats knocked down 10 three-pointers on the night and extended the lead to 32-13 by halftime, with Newcastle battling foul trouble from the second quarter on.

Allen led the Dogies with 16 points against Douglas, while Hatheway scored 10 and McCarthy added six. Hill finished with four points and Troftgruben scored two.

Newcastle will continue conference play this week with a road game at Tongue River followed by a home matchup against Buffalo.

Statistics

Belle Fourche 51, Newcastle 54 (OT)

Field goals: Belle Fourche 20-58 (34%); Newcastle 19-41 (46%)

Three-point shooting: Belle Fourche 5-22 (23%); Newcastle 6-16 (38%)

Free throws: Belle Fourche 6-11 (55%); Newcastle 10-19 (53%)

Rebounds: Belle Fourche 25; Newcastle 33

Turnovers: Belle Fourche 15; Newcastle 27

Assists: Belle Fourche 12; Newcastle 12

Steals: Belle Fourche 13; Newcastle 7

Top Dogies

Landen Hill: 13 points, 14 rebounds

Teddy Troftgruben: 8 points, 8 rebounds, 7 assists

Kyan Allen: 12 points

Colten Hatheway: 9 points

Coen Tavegie: 8 points

Douglas 75, Newcastle 33

Dogie scoring

Kyan Allen: 16 points

Colten Hatheway: 10 points

Dustin McCarthy: 6 points

Landen Hill: 4 points

Teddy Troftgruben: 2 points