Lady Bison break away from Bearcats for win

NORFOLK, Neb. -- A video game proclaiming "E.A. Sports" perfectly described how Thursday became Emily Arp's world and the Scottsbluff Bearcats were just playing in it.

Arp led a second-half beatdown from the McCook Bison bench as her 13 points with 10 rebounds powered a 56-47 GNAC tourney comeback victory.

"It was a great game from Emily having a double-double," coach Scott Leisy declared during his radio interview after the Bison girls' second win in three games. "We got some big minutes from the bench considering the foul trouble we were in."

"And anytime you score 56 points in girls' high school basketball," he added. "You're probably have a good chance to win."

The Bison (2-6 record overall) took charge even though three starters fouled out before this consolation semifnal was completed.

Juniors Bailey Honn and Erika Fisher both drew two first-quarter fouls, but still helped shoot McCook into a 14-7 lead.

However, the Bearcats turned all their free-throw opportunities into one game-changing 16-3 surge.

The Bison were trailing 23-17 and losing momentum fast before halftime.

"We were kind of in scramble mode. Our backs were to the wall," Leisy admitted. "But we got two buckets that suddenly cut it from five points down to one."

Indeed. Junior Jaden Bryant's running jumper was followed by a Holly Grigg free throw.

Fisher then showed she could be worthy of a "Flash" superhero shirt for her late Christmas present.

She swiped the basketball and turned it into two more points.

Yet it was Neel's fast-break basket that finished the first half with McCook only trailing 25-24.

"We felt good with where we were at halftime," Leisy revealed. "We did a lot better job in the second half with reversing the basketball and giving our guards freedom to attack."

"JoAnn handled the ball really well for us," he later said. "They (Scottsbluff) went small so we had to match that."

Arp stepped up large during McCook's dominant second half.

The 5'7" junior's crashed that Norfolk High glass with an offensive putback to catch Scottsbluff at 29-29.

She missed two free throws moments later, then scored again inside for a 33-31 advantage.

Amazingly, McCook would never allow Scottsbluff to draw even again.

Arp's seven-point third period put McCOok ahead 35-31.

Other Bison returned from foul trouble, and Honn's seven fourth-quarter points helped McCook pull away.

A second three-point from Fisher made it 50-40.

Bryant delivered another inside basket during what turned into a huge 21-point Bison final period.

"Jaden had a really good game. She played her tail off," Leisy confirmed.

The Bearcats briefly closed within 52-45 only to see two Grigg free throws put an exclamation point on this Bison win.

McCook can now claim fifth place among eight GNAC teams by beating North Platte today. The Bison scored a 19-point conquest of those Bulldogs last week.

"We have a shot to go 2-1 for the weekend. This team is a lot better than its record shows," Leisy concluded. "We got a win today against a conference and district foe. Our players should be smiling."

Unofficial scoring summaries:

McCOOK (56) -- Emily Arp 13 points, Jaden Bryant 11, Bailey Honn 10, Erika Fisher 9, Holly Grigg 7, Faith Hansen 2, Brantleigh Morgan 2, JoAnn Neel 2.

SCOTTSBLUFF (47) -- Taylor Noey netted a game-high 16 points to lead the 1-5 Bearcats.