Newcastle Dogies Fall to Wheatland in Regional Tournament Opener

(This story was prepared by NLJ Publisher Bob Bonnar with the assistance of artificial intelligence.)

The Newcastle Dogies faced a tough challenge in the opening round of the 3A East Regional Men’s Basketball Tournament on Thursday, falling to the second-seeded Wheatland Bulldogs 43-27.

Wheatland set the tone early, jumping out to a commanding 19-5 lead after the first quarter. Newcastle struggled to find offensive rhythm in the first half, managing just five points in each of the first two quarters as the Bulldogs' defense kept them in check. By halftime, Wheatland held a comfortable 28-10 advantage.

Jacob Miller led the way for Wheatland, scoring 15 of his game-high 23 points in the first half. He knocked down two three-pointers and finished 5-for-8 from the free throw line. Jacob Hyche also provided a strong presence inside, adding 10 points for the Bulldogs. Tate Nichols contributed six points in a well-rounded team effort.

For Newcastle, Kyan Allen was the offensive leader, finishing with 13 points. Colten Hatheway added five points, and Teddy Troftgruben chipped in seven. However, the Dogies struggled to generate consistent scoring opportunities against a disciplined Wheatland defense. Newcastle also found themselves in foul trouble, with Thatcher Troftgruben picking up four fouls, limiting his effectiveness.

Newcastle showed more fight in the second half, particularly in the fourth quarter when they put up 11 points. However, Wheatland continued to control the pace, adding 22 points in the final period to secure the 43-27 victory.

With the loss, Newcastle moves into a must-win elimination game against the tournament host, sixth-seeded Glenrock, at noon on Friday. Glenrock is also looking to keep their season alive after a hard-fought 59-51 loss to Buffalo in the first round. Meanwhile, Wheatland advances to the semifinals, where they will look to continue their strong tournament run.

The Dogies will hope to regroup quickly and find more offensive consistency if they hope to extend their postseason and keep their hopes of a state tournament appearance alive.