The defending Big Sky League boys basketball champion Dufur High Rangers (4-1) suffered their first defeat of the season in a 71-21 lopsided home loss to the No. 2-ranked Mannahouse Academy Lions (7-2).
The Lions reached the Class 2A state quarterfinals last year and then moved down to the 1A level before this season.
The Rangers, guided by longtime Coach Hollie Darden, open their 14-game Big Sky League schedule Jan. 3 at home game against South Wasco County (6-1).
“They (Lions) are loaded; they’re big and highly skilled and they played very well, and we didn’t play well at all,” said Darden. “We don’t have the kind of athletes that they have, and we just don’t match up well against them. They’re the best team by far that we’ve played this year.”
The Redsides traveled to the Southern Oregon coast and extended their win streak to three straight after two nonleague wins. The Redsides won 54-31 over the Pacific High Pirates (0-4) Dec. 20 in Port Orford, followed by a 55-39 victory over the Powers High Cruisers (3-4) Dec. 21.
In Big Sky League girls play, the Trout Lake girls lost two straight nonleague contests. The Mustangs lost 35-33 to North Clackamas Christian (7-0) on Dec. 21 at Trout Lake High School. The loss followed a 48-31 nonleague setback to Union on Dec. 14 at Pilot Rock High School.
South Wasco County (4-3) also lost two straight nonleague games. The Redsides lost 43-41 in Port Orford and 54-36 at Powers (4-5).
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