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GNAC Tournament: McCook Bison boys, girls teams dropped into consolation bracket
The McCook High School boys and girls basketball teams played hard but came up short in the first round of the Greater Nebraska Athletic Conference tournament.
McCook is the host for the eight-team tournament, which started Thursday, continues tonight and concludes Saturday.
The McCook boys lost 69-63 in overtime to Kearney and the Bison girls dropped a 61-51 decision to North Platte.
In consolation round games today at the McCook Junior High School gymnasium, the McCook girls will play Norfolk at 2 p.m. and the Bison boys will take on Hastings at 7:15 p.m.
Kearney boys 69,
McCook 63 OT
Kearney outscored McCook 11-5 in the overtime period.
The Bearcats' Brett Maher nailed three 3-pointers in the fourth quarter, including a try that tied the score at 58-58 and forced the overtime.
He then hit 5-of-6 free throws in overtime and finished with a game-high 19 points (with four treys total).
McCook placed three players in double figures, led by junior Seth Schaeffer with 18 points.
Eric Rippen added 15, including a pair of 3-pointers. Cory Gaston scored 11.
Chance Unger scored 7 points, Zach Wieser 5, Aaron Ruppert 5 and Matt Berry 2.
Joining Maher in double digits for Kearney were R.J. Rhoads with 13 and Zach Follmer 12. Carlton Albrecht contributed 8.
"We wanted to make them hit 3-pointers to beat us and they hit them," said McCook boys coach Tim Garcia, whose team dropped to 3-5.
"We did a great job fighting to get into overtime. To take this game into overtime means we're improving. We'll learn from this game.
"We played better transition defense and played better basketball in the fourth quarter. Those kids are competitors."
North Platte girls 61,
McCook 51
After spotting North Platte a 28-10 lead in the first quarter, the McCook Bison girls played a solid game against the Bulldogs.
The Bison girls sliced into North Platte's lead with an 18-11 second quarter and cut the margin to single digits at 49-40.
Joanna Bryant and Brianna Watkins each scored 11 points to paced the Bison. Kelsee Meissner added 9, Melissa Lyster 6, Austin Wilson 6, Lindsey Hazlitt 4, Sydney Jumps 2 and Tara Powell 2.
Kali Lyons played but did not score.
Meissner and Hazlitt each pulled down 5 rebounds. Hazlitt had 1 blocked shot and 3 steals.
Lexi Smidt made 13-of-14 free throws for North Platte and finished with a game-high 21 points.
KyLeigh Piper added 9 points and Brooke Weilage 7.
Both teams made 19 free throws. McCook had 26 attempts to North Platte's 24. The Bulldogs won the rebound battle 27-19.
"We played a good game," said McCook girls coach Barry Schaeffer, whose team is 4-6.
"I was really proud of the way the kids played. I can't fault their effort. Brianna Watkins was just aggressive with the basketball.
"We missed a lot of bunnies (close shots) in the second half. A lot of that had to do with the layoff. Give North Platte credit. We've got a chance to win 2-of-3 games."
Scores
In other first round boys games Thursday, Norfolk defeated Lexington 66-34, Columbus defeated Scottsbluff 67-41 and North Platte defeated Hastings 54-37.
In other first round girls games Thursday, Scottsbluff defeated Norfolk 56-33, Lexington defeated Hastings 48-28 and Kearney defeated Columbus 47-32.
Norfolk boys 66,
Lexington 34
Lance Lawson fired in five 3-pointers and led the Norfolk boys with 17 points.
Nate Olson added 12.
Andrew Rios topped Lexington with 8 points.
Columbus boys 67,
Scottsbluff 41
Brian Cleary powered the Columbus Explorers with 21 points. He drained five 3-pointers. Dustin Groteluschen added 10 points and Kurt Farmer 9.
Trey Wilberger led Scottsbluff with 17 points, including a pair of 3-pointers.
North Platte boys 55,
Hastings 37
Logan Collins ripped the nets for 22 points to pace North Platte. Braka Matlock added 15.
Andrew Lyle led Hastings with 17 points.
Scottsbluff girls 56,
Norfolk 33
Madison Keller led the Scottsbluff girls with 19 points.
Amanda Hinkel added 9, Denae Quijas 8 and McKayla Westphal 7.
Paige Pavolik paced Norfolk with 10 points.
Lexington girls 48,
Hastings 28
Ali Seberger led Lexington with 12 points. Hailey Mandelko scored 9 and Hannah Mandelko 8.
Melanie Patrick led Hastings with 6 points.
Kearney girls 47,
Columbus 32
Ashley Arp scored 19 points and Maggie Maher 16 to lead the Kearney girls past Columbus.
Ashley Szelag led Columbus with 13 points. Alexei Boettcher added 10.
Schedule
In other consolation games Friday, the Lexington boys will play Scottsbluff at 3:45 p.m. and the Hastings girls will play Columbus at 5:30 p.m.
In the boys championship semifinals tonight at the MHS gym, Norfolk plays Columbus at 3:45 p.m. and North Platte plays Kearney at 7:15 p.m.
In the girls championship semifinals tonight at the MHS gym, North Platte plays Scottsbluff at 2 p.m. and Lexington plays Kearney at 5:30 p.m.
In boys finals Saturday, the seventh-place game is 1:45 p.m. at the MJHS gym; fifth-place game, 5:15 p.m., MJHS gym; third-place game, 1:45 p.m., MHS gym; championship game, 5:15 p.m., MHS gym.
In girls finals Saturday, the seventh-place game is noon at the MJHS gym; fifth-place game, 3:30 p.m., MJHS gym; third-place game, noon, MHS gym; championship game, 3:30 p.m., MHS gym.