Bison girls one win away from state tourney trip

Steve Kodad/McCook Daily Gazette Kassidy Gillen (43) of McCook and Sidney's Abbi Porter (11) battle for a loose ball under the basket in the first half of the Class B-6 District Tournament semifinals Thursday, Feb. 23, at Perkins County High School in Grant. McCook topped the top-seed Red Raiders, 52-43.

GRANT, Neb. -- The McCook High School girls are peaking at the right time.

The Bison girls moved one win away from a state tournament berth when they upset top seed Sidney, 52-43, in the semifinals of the Class B-6 District Tournament Thursday, Feb. 23. The B-6 District is being contested at the Perkins County High School gym in Grant.

Alliance nipped Gering, 55-52, in Thursday night's other semifinal.

Steve Kodad/McCook Daily Gazette Madison Chitwood (30, left) of McCook tries to dribble along the baseline against Sidney defender Jenifer Heeren during B-6 girls District Tournament play Thursday, Feb. 23, at Perkins County High School in Grant. McCook advanced to the B-6 District finals with a 52-43 victory.

McCook and Alliance will square off Friday, Feb. 24, at 7 p.m. CST in Grant for the B-6 District Tournament title. The McCook-Alliance winner advances to the Class B Girls State Basketball Tournament in Lincoln March 1-3.

The Bison, seeded fourth in the district meet, trailed 14-8 Sidney 22-17 at halftime. But McCook caught fire with a 12-3 run in the third quarter to take a 29-25 lead with 2 1/2 minutes left in the period. Maddie Elder hit a pair of field goals, and teammates Molly Sughroue and Megan Ruppert each hit a basket in an 8-0 Bison run that gave McCook the four-point lead.

Sidney came back to lead 34-33 late in the period on a three-point play by Leah Uhlir. Elder rebounded an errant Bison shot and followed with a outback and a 35-34 McCook lead at the end of the period.

Steve Kodad/McCook Daily Gazette The McCook girls bench erupts as the final seconds run out in the Bison girls 52-43 B-6 District Tournament semifinal win over Sidney Thursday, Feb. 23, at Perkins County High School in Grant. Leading the celebration are, from left, Brenleigh Daum (3), Maddie Elder, head coach Jeff Ellis and Megan Vetrovsky.

McCook used an 11-2 run, highlighted by Brooklynn Trew's 3-point bucket, to take control at 46-36 with just over two minutes left in the final period. The Red Raiders got within 48-43 in the final minute after a 3-point shot by Karissa Segelke. McCook answered with a pair of clutch free throws by Rachel Goltl and a field goal by Kassidy Gillen following a missed Sidney shot, a McCook rebound and a fast break pass from Goltl to Gillen.

District finals Friday

McCook takes an 11-14 record into Friday's girls B-6 District title game. Alliance is 12-10. The two teams met two weeks ago in McCook as part of the annual East-West Shootout. The Bison missed scoring opportunities and Alliance nipped the hosts, 47-46, on Feb. 10.

CLASS B-6 GIRLS DISTRICT BASKETBALL TOURNAMENT

Tuesday, Feb. 21 First-Round Results

McCook 59, Scottsbluff 35

Thursday, Feb. 23 Semifinals Results

McCook 56, Sidney 46

Alliance 55, Gering 52

Friday, Feb. 24 Finals

McCook (#4, 11-14) vs. Alliance (#2, 12-10), 7 p.m. CST

McCook-Alliance winner advances to Class B State Tournament in Lincoln March 1-3