Hi-Line Athlete Profile: Sterling White Cow, HLP Basketball

Entering the 2014-15 boys basketball season, the Hays-Lodge Pole Thunderbirds were a bit of an afterthought in the District 9C. Part of that had to do with defending Class C state champion Box Elder. New teams like Chester/J-I and Fort Benton/Geraldine also took attention away from the T-Birds.

But with players like Sterling White Cow, an All-District player in the 9C and an All-Conference player in the Northern C, the T-Birds have a shot to do some damage.

HLP opened the season by getting two victories at the southern version of the Native American Classic. Then, the T-Birds got a chance to prove they are a legitimate contender in the 9C with back-to-back games against Chinook and Chester/J-I.

The T-Birds in particular wanted to beat Chinook, the team that defeated the T-Birds in the semifinals of the 9C tournament, which kept HLP from advancing to divisionals.

Last Friday, the T-Birds beat Chinook on its home floor 66-61. White Cow got in foul trouble early and didn’t have a big game offensively. But Saturday night, White Cow scored 24 points in a win over C/J-I.

Those wins have been impressive but until HLP beats Box Elder, the Bears will still be the favorite to win the district. However, there is no denying that the T-Birds have made it known they are contenders with two impressive wins to start district play.

HLP backed that up with another solid win over Big Sandy Monday night 40-30 in the T-Birds final game before the Christmas break to improve to 3-0. The T-Birds will be back in action Jan. 3 in Rudyard against North Star.

Before the T-Birds took on Chinook, the Havre Daily News sat down with White Cow for five questions.

HDN: What are you looking forward to most about your senior season?

White Cow: “I am just looking forward to doing better and getting farther than we did last year. We took third place, and this year we are looking to redeem ourselves”

HDN: What do you enjoy most about playing for the T-Birds?

White Cow: “Probably the chemistry that you build. We have some new kids coming into the program, so we want to work hard and build a work ethic and a brotherhood too.”

HDN: What do you guys need to do to get to divisionals?

White Cow: “I think we need to play better defense. Last year we played pretty good defense but we will need to be better. We should have a good press and I think if we can do that good that will really help us.”

HDN: Who is your favorite pro basketball player?

White Cow: “Rajon Rondo. He played for my team (Boston Celtics) but sadly he got traded to the Dallas Mavericks. He’s a good passer and he’s a really good defender.”

HDN: What is your most memorable moment playing basketball?

White Cow: “I would have to say beating Chinook last season on our home court. I hit a free-throw line jump shot to win the game.”