Charlo boys off to an excellent start

Charlo improved to 5-2 on the year, and 3-0 in Western 14C league play with a 72-17 victory over Hot Springs on Friday, Jan. 6.

"My boys have done very well with this early stretch so far," Charlo Head Coach Reese Cox said. "We opened up our season with three B schools and went 1-2 on that. Two losses aren't what any coach hopes for, but that was very good competition for us and helped put us on the right track to success."

Eleven Charlo players scored in the matchup, which saw the Vikings jump to a 40-11 lead at halftime and then go on a 20-2 run in the third quarter. Charlo shot nearly fifty percent from beyond the arc and hit eight three-pointers.

Keaton Piedalue led the Vikings with 21 points, while Tucker Love added 11 and Stetson Reum notched eight points. Love also had four steals in the matchup, while Jacob Tomlin had seven points and seven rebounds for Charlo. The Vikings had eight turnovers as a team.

Cox said that all five starters for the Vikings stand out, while 6'6" center Wesley Anderson can anchor the paint by rebounding, getting putbacks and creating pick and rolls.

"When teams resort to fouling him, he punishes them for it by shooting a high percentage from the charity stripe," Cox said. "Next, we have a nightmare creator on the defensive side of the ball in Tucker Love; he leads and will lead our team in steals and layups. I wouldn't want to bring the ball up the floor against him."

Piedalue and Reum have earned the nickname "Lewis and Clark" as Charlo's 1-2 punch combo because, according to Cox, they can "go coast to coast."

Hayden Hollow also serves as the floor general for the Vikings, thanks to his vision and passing ability.

"If you sag off him too much, he shoots a high percentage set shot that will force you to come back on him, and from there, he will create many scoring opportunities for us," Cox said.

Charlo has scored 435 points as a team this year, the second-highest in the league, while they have only given up 307 points, the second-lowest total in the league.

"I hope we find ourselves at the top of the district this year," Cox said, predicting Two Eagle and St. Regis “will be our most challenging."

At Charlo

CHARLO 72, HOT SPRINGS 17

Hot Springs - 6 - 5 - 2 -4 - 17

Charlo - 14 - 26 - 20 - 12 - 72

CHARLO: Keaton Piedalue 21; Tucker Love 11; Stetson Reum 8; Karson Cox 7; Jacob Tomlin 7; Wesley Anderson 6; Hayden Smith 4; Hayden Hollow 3; Kenyan DuMont 2; Titan Inman 2; Tasker Brown 1

Charlo posts big win against Noxon

Charlo didn't mess around with the Red Devils, exploding for 40 points in the first half en route to a 68-24 Western 14C victory on Thursday, Jan. 5. Keaton Piedalue's 18 points led the Vikings, and Stetson Reum notched another 14 towards Charlo's efforts.

Charlo led 40-12 at halftime and then outscored Noxon 17-3 in the third quarter, aided by 17 assists and 32 rebounds.

At Charlo

CHARLO 68, NOXON 24

Noxon - 4 - 8 - 3 - 9 - 24

Charlo - 24 - 16 - 17 - 11 - 68

CHARLO: Keaton Piedalue 18; Stetson Reum 14; Jacob Tomlin 9; Wesley Anderson 9; Tucker Love 6; Hayden Hollow 6; Ryan Sharbono 6