The Valentine boys basketball team won the Chadron Holiday Invitational Saturday night, by defeating the host Cardinals, 48-35.Chadron had reached the finals by beating Hemingford, 50-30, after jumping out to a 22-3 lead after the first quarter.

The Cardinals got 16 points each from Spencer Eliason and Von Sayaloune … Sayaloune hitting four 3-pointers.

In Saturday’s finals, Valentine led start to finish … with buzzer-beating treys at the end of the first two quarters giving them leads of 18-8 and 29-17.

Chadron made repeated runs in the second half, but could never get closer than 37-31 at the end of the third period as turnovers and timely Valentine shooting proved the difference.

The Badgers were led by Anthony Fast Horse, who had 16 points, while Eliason was again high for Chadron with 19. Valentine is now 6-2 while Chadron slips to 4-6.

The next action for the Cardinals will be next Saturday at home against Mitchell.