Bison boys had the right stuff for playoff win over 'Dawgs

SCOTTSBLUFF, Neb. —They traded 18-point wins like used road jerseys, but McCook Bison took the one that really counts with their 61-43 victory over Gering in Wednesday’s B-8 subdistrict game.

Ironically, senior Jon Patel scored his own 18 points while powering McCook from a 67-49 home loss on Feb. 9 into tonight’s B-8 title game.

This was a 12-day transformation that any late-night infomercial could tout with unbridled glee.

“YOU can be just like the McCook Bison and train your Bulldogs to behave in just 48 minute.!”

“It was a complete 180 from that game (not even) two weeks ago,” assistant coach Zach Wieser confirmed. “We had the lead tonight and I’m not sure how, since we had 16 turnovers in the first half. You could tell our kids look scared, there was a lot of inexperience and this was a big game.”

Not scared for long.

No. 2-seed Gering led 4-0 until junior Andrew Pochop blocked a Bulldog shot and started flipping momentum.

Gering led again 7-4 until Patel split two Bulldog defenders and scored to start a 7-0 Bison run.

Patel’s corner three-pointer capped that surge at 11-7.

“Jon Patel probably had his best game since Burlington (Colo.),” Wieser said referring to early December at the Goodland, Kan., Topside Tournament.

“He did a great job of attacking the hoop and finishing.”

Gering (8-15) certainly wasn’t finished as freshman Ryland Ray hit two long triples to bring them within 16-15.

Another Bulldog charge featuring seven straight points soon regained a 22-21 lead.

That’s when the Bison B.G.-rated movie performance returned.

Sophomore Bryson Gullion had already hit one long triple, but now it was soph Brody Graham’s turn to make some movie highlights.

Graham’s three-point shot put McCook ahead to stay, 24-22.

When Gering closed within one at 26-25 just moments into the second half, Graham when “three-king crazy” again from long distance.

Senior Kaiden Porter soon popped his own bomb from long distance and McCook finally had breathing room at 32-25.

Gering never got closer than six points again.

“Kaiden Porter played really well and so did Brody Graham,” Wieser said. “Brody’s not the greatest three-point shooter, but he hit two big ones tonight.”

Graham just does a little of anything to help McCook achieve victory.

At 5’9”, he’s been among the Bison rebounding leaders more than once. He’s also a force with assists, steals, defensive stops and even sometimes scores points.

On Wednesday, Graham was part of the Bison defensive effort against Gering antagonizer Uriah Ybarra.

Everyone should recall Ybarra’s 32-point performance at McCook High 12 nights earlier.

He didn’t even match that time gap Wednesday night.

Ybarra only scored 11 points and didn’t even play during the first period. The Bulldogs were reportedly dealing with illness on their team during recent weeks.

Ybarra’s first three did cut the Bison advantage to 39-33 only to see sophomore Miles Pollmann’s answering shot swirl through for two more McCook points.

Graham then fired a super pass inside that Patel finished again for the 43-34 Bison lead through three quarters.

The quarter change meant Graham-Patel would promptly flip roles.

Patel found Graham this time, and the ensuing three-point play made it 46-34.

A double-digit seemed to have the boa constrictor effect on Gering’s Bulldogs.

McCook kept squeezing more air out of any comeback hopes as “Tarzan” Porter scored twice.

Pochop added an inside hoop and when that other B.G.-rated hero — Gullion — hit a fadeway corner three, McCook had its biggest lead of 56-39.

Freshman Tripp Raile’s layup off a steal preceded one more Patel basket that made it:

Mccook 61, Gering 41.

The Bulldogs scored their one more hopeless hoop before McCook celebrated its latest playoff victory.

“A a lot of guys stepped up and gave some real good minutes,” Wieser said.

Coach Joe Imus’ team will now try to reach its third consecutive Class B district title game.

The Bison won subdistricts on their home floor in 2022 and ‘23.

Now can they get ’er done again on Scottsbluff’s home court?

The Bearcats (16-5) won at McCook, 59-52, again just 12 days ago on Feb. 10.

“They (Scottsbluff) have a lot of good players, but it’s no secret their guy is Nate Kelley,” Wiesersaid. “I thought we played really good defense in that last game with them. Holding Kelley to 14 points is no easy feat.”

“No matter what happens, they will have a home game next week,” he concluded. “Where as we will be done. So I think we will have a lot more to play for.”

McCook 61, Gering 43

BISON (9-13) — Jon Patel 18 points, Kaiden Porter 11, Brody Graham 9, Tripp Raile 8, Andrew Pochop 6, Bryson Gullion 6, Miles Pollmann 2, Josiah Wilkinson 1.

BULLDOGS (8-15) — Freshman Ryland Ray led Gering with 14 points and Uriah Ybarra added 11.