With the high school basketball playoffs just two weekends away, every game takes on added importance as teams jockey for district tournament seeding.

A classic example of that was the games this past Thursday night in Hot Springs between the Savage Heat and Lady Heat versus the Two Eagle River (TER) Eagles and Lady Eagles. 

The boys' game was won by TER, 63-57 in a back-and-forth contest that had a hint of playoff intensity. 

The same was true for the girls' teams, as the host Lady Savage Heat rolled to a 65-28 win over TER. 

The boys' game was the latest in the already intense rivalry between the two schools, with Hot Springs emerging from a tug-of-war first quarter holding on to a 17-14 lead.  Heat senior post Nick McAllister had 10 points in the first quarter as he dominated the paint for the first eight minutes of play. 

Two Eagle regrouped and tightened their defense in the second quarter, holding Hot Springs to eight points while scoring 17 of their own to take a 30-25 lead at the half. 

The Eagles kept up their offensive and defensive pressure in the third quarter as they increased their lead to 50-37 heading into the final quarter. 

Hot Springs sophomore guard Chase DePoe had eight points in the fourth quarter as the Heat rallied and trimmed seven points off the Eagles’ lead, but they could not overcome the early TER lead. 

McAllister led all scorers with 23 points, while sophomore teammate Ben Aldridge chipped in 12 for Hot Springs.  The Heat also got 11 points from DePoe. 

Talon Addison, who had seven fourth quarter points for the Eagles, led his team with 17 points. 

The win boosted TER to 4-4 in 13C league play and 8-7 overall.  Hot Springs fell to 5-4 in conference play and 6-10 overall with the loss. 

The Hot Springs girls, meanwhile, jumped out to a 20-7 first quarter lead in their game against the Lady Eagles, then held the visitors to six points in the second quarter as they built a 38-13 lead at the half. 

The Lady Heat added three points to their lead in the third quarter, giving them a commanding 41-19 lead with one quarter left in regulation. 

Hot Springs outscored TER 18-9 in the final eight minutes of play to secure the 37-point victory. 

Lady Heat senior Brooke Jackson, playing her last home game in Hot Springs, led all scorers with 21 points.  Hot Springs also got double figure scoring from Kara Christensen (14 points) and Lilia Sapanel (12 points) 

Keke Tenas topped TER scoring with nine points. 

The win lifted Hot Springs to 6-2 in Western 13C play and 11-5 overall, while the loss dropped Two Eagle to 2-5 in league play and 2-12 on the season. 

Next up for Hot Springs’ boys and girls is a pair of road games beginning this Friday (Feb 14) in Drummond.  They return to the road Saturday when they travel to Lincoln to take on the first-place boys’ and girls’ Lynx. 

    Senior guard Wesley Adams goes to the hoop for two points during Hot Springs' game against Two Eagle River this past Thursday in Hot Springs. (Photo by Jen Christensen)