Stanton Boys lose first East Husker Conference Tournament Game to Oakland-Craig; Girls knock off Clarkson/Leigh in Quarterfinals

The Stanton Boys Basketball Team lost 64-31 to Oakland-Craig in the 1st round of the East Husker Conference Tournament at Wisner-Pilger on Saturday.

The Knights quadrupled up the Mustangs 12-3 in the 1st quarter. Stanton won the 2nd quarter 16-11 to make it a 23-19 game at halftime in favor of Oakland-Craig.

The Knights outscored the Mustangs 28-10 in the 3rd quarter to lead 51-29 at the end of three.

Oakland-Craig outscored Stanton 13-2 in the 4th quarter.

Broderick Sieh and TJ Larson scored 7 points apiece to lead the Mustangs.

Rough go for Stanton in the 2nd half. I thought the Mustangs played well in the 1st half though.

Stanton (2-17) takes on Madison (5-11) in the Bronze Bracket at Twin River on Friday.

The Dragons lost 70-43 to West Point-Beemer at North Bend Central on Saturday.

Madison defeated the Mustangs 44-38 at home on January 16th.

Things were tight and close the first time around, and I look for that to be the case this time around as well.

I feel this game could be the start of a three-game winning streak for Stanton.

The Mustangs have a chance to get to 5 wins before season's end, in my opinion.

Stanton has to take advantage of a light schedule to round out the regular season, and give themselves some confidence and momentum for sub-districts.

If the Mustangs can play like they did in the first half of the Oakland-Craig game for a full game against the Dragons then they can definitely come out on top.

Things were close and tight the first time around, and it appears Stanton played pretty good defense in that game.

The Mustangs will need to do that again plus play great offense to get over the hump this time around, in my opinion.

Scoring has come at a premium for Stanton this year, but the Mustangs are about due to breakout and turn in a fantastic game from an offensive standpoint.

There should be little to no pressure for Stanton seeing as this is just a consolation game so I fully expect the Mustangs to come out and play well, loose, and confident.

I think Stanton will play a good game, and compete well and at a high level.

I feel the Mustangs have what it takes to win on Friday, and close out the regular season with a pair of wins.

Stanton has to play hard, smart, physical, tenacious, gritty, passionate, fiery, prideful, and tough.

The Mustangs have to want it more than Madison, and must take out the season's frustrations out on the Dragons.

Stanton hasn't had a lot to be happy or cheer about this season, but perhaps that will change with a win on Friday.

Tip-off is set for 4:30 p.m. in Genoa.

The Stanton Girls Basketball Team defeated Clarkson/Leigh 49-25 in the East Husker Conference Tournament Quarterfinals at home Monday night.

The Mustangs got out to a 19-0 lead and led 20-8 after one. Stanton shutout the Patriots 7-0 in the 2nd quarter to go up 27-8 at halftime.

The Mustangs won the 3rd quarter 12-11 to lead 39-19 at the end of three.

Stanton outscored Clarkson/Leigh 10-6 in the 4th quarter.

Liz Christensen led the way with 14 points while Hannah Heppner had a double-double of 11 points and 10 rebounds. Jaiden Hartl added 11 points while Bree Burtwhistle scored 9 points and pulled down 7 rebounds.

Very impressive win for the Mustangs. I anticipated this game being much closer than it was.

Stanton (17-1) battles BRLD (15-4) in the Semifinals in Stanton Thursday night in action that can be heard on 107.9 the Bull.

The Wolverines defeated Humphrey/Lindsay Holy Family 68-56 in Monday night's quarterfinals.

The Mustangs knocked off the Wolverines 60-46 at home last Saturday.

Stanton played great in that game, and will need to play great in this game as well to come away with the win I would say.

It won't be easy for the Mustangs to duplicate their efforts from last Saturday or Monday night, but it can definitely be done,  in my opinion.

Stanton has to come out and be the aggressor like they were last time against BRLD.

The Mustangs were upset in this round of the tournament last year so Stanton has to do everything they can to not let history repeat itself.

I think the Mustangs are a stronger team than they were last year, and are better equipped to win in the semifinals this time around though.

It wouldn't surprise me if the finals matchup was Stanton against North Bend Central.

BRLD is a really good team and can score though so beating the Wolverines is no gimme or small task by any means.

West Point-Beemer, who takes on the Tigers in the first semifinal game, is tough too so don't count out the Cadets.

Last year I thought the top two seeds would win, and that wasn't the case, so I could definitely be wrong in thinking Stanton and North Bend Central will meet in this year's championship game.

The Mustangs have to play as well offensively as they did last time around.

Defense will still be big for Stanton too, but given the Wolverines' explosive offense, the Mustangs have to make sure they're scoring a lot of points too like the first time around.

50 is the magic number for me.

If Stanton can score over 50 then I think their defense does enough to win.

Score less than 50 and you might be asking for trouble given how good the Wolverines' offense is.

Tip-off is set for 7:45 p.m. on the Bull.

Saturday's championship game will also be carried on the Bull.

BRLD Boys and Girls undefeated in East Husker Conference Tournament so far

The BRLD Boys Basketball Team defeated Howells-Dodge 61-33 at home in the East Husker Conference Tournament Quarterfinals Tuesday night.

The Wolverines led the Jaguars 17-10 after one, and outscored Howells-Dodge 17-2 in the 2nd quarter to take a 34-12 lead into the locker room.

BRLD outscored the Jaguars 13-8 in the 3rd quarter to go up 47-20 at the end of three.

The Wolverines won the 4th quarter 14-13.

Hunter Ferguson had 14 points to lead BRLD while Kenyan Lovejoy and Darwin Snyder scored 10 and 8, respectively.

Head Coach Cory Meyer. "The thing offensively that I really like about our kids is that they're really playing well together. They're not being selfish with the ball. They see the court, they see each other, and they pass the ball well."

Meyer says defense has been a big reason for the Wolverines' success. "I think the thing that our kids are starting to grasp is our defense. We're scoring well on offense, but I think our defense is the thing that gets our offense going. It's really kind of funny at the beginning of the year trying to go from being a zone team to a man team, and the kids were just kind of questioning things. And just watching them enjoy playing defense."

The Wolverines (17-1) take on North Bend Central (15-2) in the East Husker Conference Tournament Semifinals at Logan View/Scribner-Snyder Friday night.

The Tigers rolled to a 68-49 win over West Point-Beemer in Tuesday night's quarterfinals at Bancroft.

BRLD was able to see North Bend Central play firsthand prior to their game, and I think that's going to help the Wolverines in this one.

This is a matchup of two great teams and two heavyweights who are very talented and well coached.

Both teams like to get out and run and gun.

It seems to me that the Wolverines more or less like to slash and attack the basket and score points at the hole whereas the Tigers kind of like to drive and kick more.

When North Bend Central is on they're as good as any team around.

But if BRLD can play suffocating defense and contest three pointers then the Tigers may have an off night.

Both teams play great defense and offense, and I look for both teams to get out and run and score a lot.

I think it honestly depends which team is clicking the most offensively in terms of who's able to come out on top.

I feel things can go either way, and don't know who to pick in this one.

Both teams are very good, and this should be a great game.

Regardless of the outcome of Friday night's game, the Wolverines are headed back to Central Community College in Columbus.

I'm sure BRLD would love to breakthrough and play for the championship though.

You know the Wolverines will get North Bend Central's best shot though seeing as the Tigers are the defending conference tournament champions.

It will be interesting to see how things all play out.

I look for the game to go down to the wire, and be close, and hotly and tightly contested.

Tip-off is set for 6:00 p.m. on 107.9 the Bull.

Join Sports Director Joel Janecek for all the action!

The BRLD Girls Basketball Team is unbeaten in the East Husker Conference Tournament so far, downing Tekamah-Herman 68-23 at home in Friday night's 1st round before defeating Humphrey/Lindsay Holy Family 68-56 at Stanton in Monday night's Quarterfinals.

The Wolverines doubled up the Tigers 14-7 after one, and outscored Tekamah-Herman 28-6 in the 2nd quarter to take a 42-13 lead into the locker room.

BRLD outscored the Tigers 13-6 in the 3rd quarter to lead 55-19 at the end of three.

The Wolverines outscored Tekamah-Herman 13-4 in the 4th quarter.

BRLD led the Bulldogs 13-12 before outscoring them 19-8 in the 2nd quarter to lead 32-20 at halftime.

The Wolverines won the 3rd quarter 23-17 to extend the lead to 18 at 55-37 at the end of three.

Humphrey/Lindsay Holy Family won the 4th quarter 19-13.

Sophia Henneman led the way with 18 points while Paige Peters and Tiahna Bonneau totaled 11 apiece. Vicki Gatzemeyer added 10.

BRLD played really good basketball in their first two Conference Tournament games, in my opinion.

The Wolverines (15-4) take on Stanton (17-1) in the Semifinals of the Tournament in Stanton Thursday night in action that can be heard on 107.9 the Bull.

The Mustangs won 49-25 at home over Clarkson/Leigh in Monday night's Quarterfinal round.

Stanton just beat BRLD 60-46 at home last Saturday.

It's going to take an extraordinary effort on the Wolverines' part defensively to come out on top.

The Mustangs are a great team, and beating them is not going to be easy by any means.

BRLD has to come out and play sound, fundamental basketball, and has to look to attack the basket for the full 32 minutes.

The Wolverines have to be relentless on offense, and must attack, attack, attack.

BRLD also has to be effective defensively, and must slow down Stanton's big scorers.

They include Liz Christensen, Bree Burwhistle, Jaiden Hartl, Hannah Heppner, and Jessie Brandl.

Christensen, Hartl, and Heppner were in double figures against the Patriots, and were a huge reason the Mustangs won, in my opinion.

Stanton is a great team offensively and defensively, and it's not easy to beat them.

Only Oakland-Craig has beaten the Mustangs this year, but that's not to say the Wolverines can't be the 2nd team to beat Stanton.

The Mustangs were upset in the Semifinals of this tournament last year, and history could certainly repeat itself.

BRLD has to go in there believing, and has to play with nothing to lose and reckless abandonment.

The Wolverines have to play without regard for human life, and has to play loose and as if the game is theirs to win.

BRLD has to come out and start fast, and finish strong.

If the Wolverines can just hang around until the 4th quarter, they might be able to have one of their strong patented 4th quarters, and pick up the win.

Tip-off is set for 7:45 p.m. on the Bull.

The winner gets either North Bend Central or West Point-Beemer in Saturday's Championship Game, which will also be carried on the Bull.

North Bend Central Boys 3-0 in last three games; Girls 2-0 in last two

The North Bend Central Boys Basketball Team has played great basketball as of late as the Tigers beat Wisner-Pilger 60-50 on the road Thursday night, Tekamah-Herman 69-20 in the 1st round of the East Husker Conference Tournament at home on Saturday, and West Point-Beemer 68-49 in the EHC Tournament Quarterfinals at Bancroft Tuesday night.

The Tigers led the Gators 20-17 after one, and outscored Wisner-Pilger 12-7 in the 3rd quarter to go up 32-24 at halftime.

North Bend Central won the 3rd quarter 17-12 to lead 49-36 at the end of three.

The Gators won the 4th quarter 14-11.

North Bend Central led Tekamah-Herman 19-5 at the end of one, and doubled them up 18-9 in the 2nd quarter to take a 37-14 lead into the locker room.

North Bend Central outscored Tekamah-Herman 14-5 in the 3rd quarter to go up 51-19 at the end of three.

North Bend Central outscored Tekamah-Herman 18-1 in the 4th quarter.

Austin Endorf had 23 points to lead the way while John Emanuel notched 8.

The Tigers got out to a 28-16 lead on the Cadets at the end of one, and doubled up West Point-Beemer 14-7 in the 2nd quarter to take a 42-23 lead into the locker room.

North Bend Central won the 3rd quarter 13-8 to go up 55-31 at the end of three.

The Cadets won the 4th quarter 18-13.

Emanuel led all scorers with 22 points while Tanner Wietfeld and Endorf posted 16 and 11, respectively.

Head Coach Jon Baehr's boys got off to a 15 to 3 start. "I mean West Point presents some challenges obviously for us with their size and their ability to really create mismatches on the inside. And we had kind of a game plan to try to help minimize that the best we could, but our guys went out and executed really well. And yeah you're right we shot the ball really well tonight. We got some good looks, guys were ready to shoot, and we knocked them down."

Baehr on the win. "Thought we came out with a lot of energy and were ready to go. And that's a quality West Point-Beemer team, and their coach did a great job of getting them ready so that was a big key for us to get started early and get going early."

Great play by the Tigers lately. North Bend Central isn't doing a whole lot wrong, in my opinion.

The Tigers (15-2) battle BRLD (17-1) in the Conference Tournament Semifinals at Logan View/Scribner-Snyder Friday night in action that can be heard on 107.9 the Bull.

The Wolverines topped Howells-Dodge 61-33 at home in Tuesday night's quarterfinals.

Both teams like to get out and run, and are very athletic, long, and tenacious defensively and offensively.

I think North Bend Central is taller and shoots better, but I think BRLD is better at driving to the basket, and has a bit of an advantage speed wise.

This should be a great game that comes down to the wire Friday night.

This is very exciting High School Basketball on 107.9 the Bull, and I can't wait to listen in to this one.

The Tigers have to come out and smack the Wolverines in the mouth like they did the Cadets.

I thought North Bend Central started that game very strong, and came out and played a complete game Tuesday night.

Every possession, every shot, every free throw, every turnover is going to be critical in this game.

I think one play could ultimately decide this game.

I feel there's room for both teams to make mistakes that are just part of the game though.

I don't think the Tigers have to play some sort of perfect game to win by any means, but they need to play well.

It should be a run and gun, high scoring affair.

I think both teams will look to play extremely fast.

It should be a great game, and it will be interesting to see who wins.

I think both these teams definitely have the tougher road to the finals than top seeded Logan View/Scribner-Snyder, but to be the best you have to beat the best.

One of these teams may get a shot at the Raiders, and for North Bend Central it would be big to get back to the championship game to have a chance to repeat as Conference Tournament Champions.

Tip-off between the Tigers and Wolverines is set for 6:00 p.m. Friday night on the Bull.

Join Sports Director Joel Janecek for all the action!

The North Bend Central Girls Basketball Team won 50-38 at Wisner-Pilger Thursday night before downing Howells-Dodge 58-40 at home in the East Husker Conference Tournament Quarterfinals Monday night.

The Gators got out to an 11-9 lead at the end of one before the Tigers outscored them 15-4 in the 2nd quarter to take a 24-15 lead into the locker room.

North Bend Central won the 3rd quarter 12-10 to go up 36-25 at the end of three.

The Tigers won the 4th quarter 14-13.

North Bend Central led the Jaguars 22-10 after one. Howells-Dodge won the 2nd quarter 13-12 to make it a 34-23 game at halftime.

The Tigers won the 3rd quarter 11-10 to go up 45-33 at the end of three.

North Bend Central outscored the Jaguars 13-7 in the 4th quarter.

Head Coach Aaron Sterup on the win. "We're not great in the half court normally. We need to get out and run a little bit. And we didn't get out as much as I wanted to tonight, but I thought we did a really good job in the half court of getting good shots most every time, not turning the ball over, and being aggressive to the basket, which we aren't always. And so that was good to see also."

The Tigers (14-3) take on West Point-Beemer (15-5) in the Conference Tournament Quarterfinals at Stanton Thursday night in action that can be heard on 107.9 the Bull.

The Cadets beat Twin River 33-29 in overtime in Monday night's quarterfinals at North Bend Central.

Sterup says Thursday's game will be a tough one. "They're going to get in our face and put pressure on us. Because of our size they're going to try to make it a 94-foot game. We're going to have to handle pressure and make good decisions like we did tonight so hopefully we can continue that cause it's going to be amped up even more on Thursday."

The Tigers beat West Point-Beemer 49-35 on the road on December 7th, but you can bet Thursday night's game will be tougher.

I'm sure things will be more difficult this time around, but I think North Bend Central has a good shot to win, with or without Brooke Fredrickson.

She sprained an ankle and left Monday's game on crutches, but the Tigers still have Kristin Lux and Lauren Emanuel on the inside.

Emanuel had 17 points against the Cadets the first time around from what I understand so it doesn't figure to be easy for West Point-Beemer to slow her down this time around.

Her and Lux need to get things going for North Bend Central to be successful, in my opinion.

The Tigers have to look to get out in transition, and get the ball inside.

I think North Bend Central has a real advantage on the inside, and will look to use their size advantage to their advantage.

It would be a big deal for the Tigers to reach the championship game again and have a chance to win it.

North Bend Central made a run and played well in last year's tournament, and it looks like the Tigers might do that again this year.

North Bend Central played great Monday night, in my opinion, but will need to play even better on Thursday to come away with the win.

The Tigers definitely have the ability to get back to the championship game in Columbus, they just have to work hard and outhustle the Cadets.

North Bend Central is headed to CCC either way, but they hope it's as one of the teams in the championship game.

Tip-of is set for 6:00 p.m. on the Bull.

West Point-Beemer Boys and Girls 2-1 in their last three games

The West Point-Beemer Boys Basketball Team is 2-1 in their last three games, downing Wayne 51-41 at home Thursday night in action heard on 107.9 the Bull, and Madison 70-43 in the first round of the East Husker Conference Tournament at North Bend on Saturday, before losing 68-49 to the Tigers in Bancroft in Tuesday night's Quarterfinal Round.

The Cadets led 20-11 at the end of one on Wayne before the Blue Devils won the 2nd quarter 11-8 to make it a 28-22 game at halftime in favor of West Point-Beemer.

West Point-Beemer won the 3rd quarter 7-5 to lead 35-27 at the end of three.

The Cadets outscored Wayne 16-14 in the 4th quarter.

Chase Streeter had a game-high 19 points and totaled 8 rebounds for West Point-Beemer. Austin Streeter added 11 points and 9 rebounds while Blake Anderson and Cole Hughes notched 8 points apiece.

Head Coach Cody Bobolz says Hughes played a big role late in the game. "So proud of that kid. I told him in the locker room. He's had kind of an up and down year. But he has just stuck with it. And I told him, it was a game or two ago, he wasn't shooting the ball as good as he could. And I just told him you got to keep your head high, and I know Cole you're going to hit some shots for us. And it's going to come. And he stuck in it, and tonight I think he had 8 big ones for us, and had some big ones there in the 4th quarter. So really really proud of him, and a lot of other guys, but Cole especially."

Bobolz adds Wayne's defense posed some problems. "They came out in man, and I thought we attacked it really well early. Got some stuff inside. And then they switched it up and went zone. And that slows us down a little bit, but I thought for the most part we handled it pretty well. Better than we have."

Bobolz on the win. "We stayed aggressive. And that was our big key we talked about. And guys just really stuck with it. So not always the prettiest thing, but we managed to execute down the stretch enough to pull away."

The Cadets led the Dragons 26-15 after one. Both teams scored 10 points in the 2nd quarter, and West Point-Beemer led 36-25 at halftime.

The Cadets outscored Madison 20-9 in the 3rd quarter to go up 56-34 at the end of three.

West Point-Beemer won the 4th quarter 14-9.

Ben Vander Griend led the way with 15 points while Chase Streeter posted 10. Anderson and Tate Ernesti notched 9 apiece while Austin Streeter had 7.

The Tigers got out to a 28-16 lead on the Cadets at the end of one, and doubled up West Point-Beemer 14-7 in the 2nd quarter to take a 42-23 lead into the locker room.

North Bend Central won the 3rd quarter 13-8 to go up 55-31 at the end of three.

The Cadets won the 4th quarter 18-13.

Chase Streeter led the way with 13 points and 8 rebounds while Austin Streeter chipped in 11 points. Hughes added 7 points.

Difficult game for West Point-Beemer on Tuesday given how they were playing prior.

The Cadets (12-7) take on Wisner-Pilger (13-6) in Friday's Silver Bracket at Wisner-Pilger.

The Gators lost 66-62 to Oakland-Craig in Tuesday's Quarterfinals.

West Point-Beemer beat Wisner-Pilger 48-43 in West Point on January 5th, the night James Meiergerd hit his first backwards half court shot.

What an uplifting story James' shots have been.

He also hit a backwards half court shot in front of a Harlem Globetrotter Tuesday afternoon.

He is a great story, and I'm sure the Cadets would like to write a  team story of their own this season.

West Point-Beemer had a tough game against North Bend Central, but has a shot at redemption Friday night.

The game figures to be very tight, especially with the contest being in Wisner.

These two have had some great games and finishes the last few years, and I look for Friday night's game to be no different.

This is a still a big game for the Cadets even though it is just consolation.

West Point-Beemer has to put the loss to the Tigers behind them, and regroup for Friday night's game.

North Bend Central appeared to be a couple steps quicker and seemed to play really hard.

You could tell the Tigers wanted it badly, and it showed in their play.

The Cadets have to be that same type of team. The team that wants it more than anyone or anything in this world.

West Point-Beemer took Logan View/Scribner-Snyder to overtime so the Cadets know they can hang with the best of the best.

West Point-Beemer doesn't seem to do the greatest against fast and athletic teams though.

The Tigers are one of those teams, and were simply a bad matchup for the Cadets.

I think the Gators are a better and more conventional matchup for West Point-Beemer.

I look for the Cadets to go out there and lay it all out on the line, and put themselves in a position to earn a big win.

The West Point-Beemer Girls Basketball Team is also 2-1 in their last three games, falling 57-51 at home to Wayne Thursday night, winning 59-19 at home over Madison in the first round of the East Husker Conference Tournament Friday night, and 33-29 in overtime over Twin River in the EHC Tournament Quarterfinals at North Bend Central Monday night.

Wayne rallied for the win in the 4th quarter after trailing 41-36 after three.

The Cadets led 19-15 after one before the Blue Devils won the 2nd quarter 10-6 to tie the game at 25 at halftime.

West Point-Beemer outscored Wayne 16-11 in the 3rd quarter to recapture the lead at 41-36.

The Blue Devils outscored the Cadets 21-10 in the 4th quarter.

Sidney Swanson had a team-high 15 points for West Point-Beemer, who had their 9-game winning streak snapped. Brittney Hinkel posted 13 points and 7 rebounds while Megan Groth totaled 9 points.

The Cadets led the Dragons 14-0 after one, and outscored Madison 20-7 in the 2nd quarter to take a 34-7 lead into the locker room.

West Point-Beemer won the 3rd quarter 10-8 to go up 44-15 at the end of three.

The Cadets outscored the Dragons 15-4 in the 4th quarter.

Hinkel netted 11 points while Andrea Hoffman scored 10. Makenna Weddle chipped in 8 while Brooke Haase posted 7 rebounds.

The Titans led 10-7 after one. Both teams scored 9 points in the 2nd quarter, and the score was 19-16 at halftime in favor of Twin River.

Both teams scored 6 points in the 3rd quarter, and the score after three was 25-22 with the Titans still in the lead.

The Cadets won the 4th quarter 7-4 to send the game into overtime tied at 29.

West Point-Beemer blanked Twin River 4-0 in the extra session.

Hinkel led the way with 15 points while Hoffman scored 8.

Close call for West Point-Beemer, but the Cadets found a way to win.

Theis says it was a close game. "We just beat them by 20 a week ago, but Coach Morris he does a great job. They came out just ready, I mean they did. They just came out and they were the aggressors. We kind of gave a stern talking to that first group of 5. And I thought our bench came in and kind of gave us a little breath of fresh air there in that 1st quarter that kind of helped us recover."

Theis. "We were inches from a few steals. And we just didn't hit shots. And once again as it gets close you start to tense up a little bit, and you can kind of see that. But kind of going back into halftime we really got on some girls at halftime and we decided that hey we're not going to go out like this."

West Point-Beemer (15-5) battles North Bend Central (14-3) in the Conference Tournament Semifinals at Stanton Thursday night in action that can be heard on 107.9 the Bull.

The Tigers won 58-40 at home over Howells-Dodge in Monday night's Quarterfinals.

North Bend Central was very impressive to me, especially on the offensive end.

The Tigers really got in transition and ran the floor well I thought.

The big question mark for North Bend Central though is Brooke Fredrickson.

She left the court on crutches Monday after spraining her ankle so it will be interesting to see if she is ready to go or not.

The Tigers have plenty of weapons besides her, but are definitely a better team when she is on top of her game and at full strength.

This is a tough matchup for the Cadets regardless.

North Bend Central beat West Point-Beemer 49-35 in West Point on December 7th.

I would say the Cadets are a better team now than they were then, but the Tigers have been pretty consistent throughout the season.

The Tigers definitely have the advantage in terms of height, and both teams are pretty equal speed wise I would say.

Both teams are very skilled, athletic, and well coached, which should make for a great game.

I think both teams will look to get up and down the floor.

It will be interesting to see if the Cadets can slow down Kristin Lux and Lauren Emanuel.

Emanuel had 17 points against West Point-Beemer in the first matchup from what I understand.

So post defense will definitely be critical for the Cadets Thursday night.

West Point-Beemer's defense has to play strong and come up big.

The Cadets have to be furious and tenacious in their play on both ends of the floor.

Either way West Point-Beemer is making a trip to Central Community College in Columbus on Saturday, but I'm sure the Cadets would really love to be in the championship game instead of the 3rd place contest.

Tip-off is set for 6:00 p.m. on 107.9 the Bull. 

Stanton Boys fall to BRLD and Twin River; Girls knock off BRLD

The Stanton Boys Basketball Team lost 62-27 at home to BRLD on Saturday before falling 53-29 at home to Twin River Thursday night.

The Wolverines led the Mustangs 22-7 at the end of one and won the 2nd quarter 11-9 to take a 33-16 lead into the locker room.

BRLD outscored Stanton 17-5 in the 3rd quarter to extend the lead to 29 at 50-21 at the end of three.

The Wolverines doubled the Mustangs 12-6 in the 4th quarter.

Nate Arens had a team-high 9 points while TJ Larson totaled 8.

Tough loss to a great BRLD team.

Stanton (2-16) battles Oakland-Craig (11-6) in the 1st round of the East Husker Conference Tournament at Wisner-Pilger on Saturday.

The Knights lost 73-66 at home in overtime to North Bend Central last Friday night.

Oakland-Craig doubled up the Mustangs 60-30 at home on January 5th.

The Knights are a really good team, and it's going to take an exceptional effort on Stanton's part to be able to keep things close and come away with the win.

The Mustangs have to fight and battle as hard as they can and until the very end though.

Stanton has to come out and play with mental and physical toughness, intensity, tenacity, fire, passion, pride, determination, and grit.

The Mustangs have to forget about their struggles so far this year, and come out and play even better basketball on Saturday than they have at any other point in the season this year.

I look for Stanton to give Oakland-Craig their best shot, and do everything in their power to win.

The Mustangs have to try and limit Garrett Seagren.

He had the hot hand against North Bend Central last night, scoring 37 points, so you know he's a great player.

It doesn't figure to be easy for Stanton to defend him and try and slow him down.

The Mustangs have to be better on both ends of the floor than they have been if they want to come away with the win.

Stanton has struggled on offense and defense this year at times, and their inconsistencies are the reason for that I would say.

The Mustangs have to try and find ways to grow and improve before season's end, and perhaps Stanton can pick up a win or two in this tournament, and beat Clarkson/Leigh and Emerson-Hubbard at the end of the regular season.

The Mustangs have some very winnable games on the horizon so Stanton has to continue to play well and above themselves on Saturday and throughout the rest of the season.

The Mustangs have to play with a lot of focus and drive, and must also show a lot of will on Saturday.

The Knights are the better team so far having already beaten Stanton once, but who's to say the Mustangs can't even things up?

The Stanton Girls Basketball Team picked up a big 60-46 home win over BRLD on Saturday.

The Mustangs led 19-12 after one, and outscored BRLD 12-5 in the 2nd quarter to take a 31-17 lead into the locker room.

Stanton won the 3rd quarter 15-13 to go up 46-30 at the end of three.

The Wolverines won the 4th quarter 16-14.

Jessie Brandl notched 21 points while Jaiden Hartl and Bree Burtwhistle totaled 10 each. Hannah Heppner chipped in 8 points and 9 rebounds while Burtwhistle recorded 8 boards.

Great win for the Mustangs. Just what Stanton needed, in my opinion.

The Mustangs (16-1) take on Clarkson/Leigh (12-5) in the 2nd round of the East Husker Conference Tournament at home Monday night.

The Patriots won 38-32 over Oakland-Craig at Howells-Dodge in the 1st round of the tournament Friday night.

This figures to be a tough, tricky, and challenging contest for Stanton.

Clarkson/Leigh is a lot like the Mustangs in that they pride themselves on and play strong defense.

I look for Stanton to put together a great and solid game Monday night though.

You can bet the Mustangs will be ready to go given the fact they've had over a week off.

One might say Stanton could come out sluggish, and they could with the long lay off, but I fully expect the Mustangs to be just fine.

Stanton has proven to be the best and most consistent team in the conference so far this year, but this game with the Patriots is no gimme that's for sure.

Brandl, Hartl, Burtwhistle, and Heppner all need to play well for the Mustangs in this one.

Stanton needs to have the same kind of offensive output they had against BRLD.

That was a great effort on the Mustangs' part, and Stanton needs to have a repeat of that.

I think defense will be strong and just fine for the Mustangs as Stanton is a very strong defensive team.

If the Mustangs play like they did against BRLD throughout this tournament I think Stanton has a great chance to win it.

The Mustangs were upset by North Bend Central in the semifinals last year though so Stanton can't let that happen again.

The Mustangs have to come out and play the same type of great, consistent basketball they've played all year.

Stanton has to outhustle, outwork, and outplay every opponent in this tournament.

The Mustangs have to want it more than Patriots and any other team they play for that matter.

Stanton has to play with a burning passion and desire that stems from within.

The Mustangs have a golden opportunity in front of them, and have to make the most of it.

GACC Boys 0-2 in last two games; Girls 3-0 in last three

The Guardian Angels Central Catholic Boys Basketball Team lost 53-38 at home to O'Neill last Friday night before falling 60-49 at Hartington Cedar Catholic on Saturday.

The Eagles led 19-11 after one before both teams scored 6 points in the 2nd quarter to take a 25-17 lead into the locker room.

O'Neill outscored the Bluejays 13-9 in the 3rd quarter to lead 38-26 at the end of three.

The Eagles won the 4th quarter 15-12.

Casey Doernemann totaled 11 points and 9 rebounds while Jared Minnick notched 10 points. Bryant Rief added 9 points and 7 rebounds while Landon Stalp chipped in 7 points.

The Trojans got out to a 19-15 lead after one. GACC won the 2nd quarter 9-8 to make it a 27-24 lead at halftime.

The Bluejays won the 3rd quarter 13-11 to cut the deficit to 1 at 38-37 at the end of three.

Hartington Cedar Catholic outscored GACC 22-12 in the 4th quarter.

Stalp led the way with 15 points while Rief added 13. Minnick chipped in 11 points and 8 rebounds.

I thought the Bluejays did a nice job of competing in both games despite the losses.

GACC (3-12) battles Crofton (1-13) in the bunny bracket game of the Mid-State Conference Tournament in West Point Saturday evening.

The Warriors lost 48-36 at Pierce Thursday night.

GACC defeated Crofton 52-51 at home on December 9th.

So the Bluejays definitely have their work cut out for them this time around, but there's no doubt GACC can win again.

I think the Bluejays are a better team than what they were on December 9th, and feel the Warriors are about the same now as they were then.

I look for this game to be close, but for GACC to find a way to win it.

The winner gets O'Neill on Tuesday at 6:15 p.m. at Norfolk Catholic, and I'm sure the Bluejays would really love to have another shot at the Eagles.

GACC can't look past Crofton though.

The Bluejays can't be thinking a date with O'Neill on Tuesday until it happens if it happens.

GACC's sole focus has to be on beating the Warriors.

It's survive and advance, and taking things one game at a time if you are the Bluejays.

GACC has to focus on one game at a time, and then worry about their next opponent after whatever game they just played.

I think the Bluejays have a chance to do something in this tournament, but winning the first game is key.

I feel GACC has a chance to pick up a win or two, but the Bluejays have to start out on the right foot.

I think the game being in West Point really helps GACC, but the Bluejays can't take the Warriors lightly or for granted.

Minnick, Stalp, Rief, and Doernemann need to have big games for GACC.

The Bluejays have to show up and play a great game, and put forth a fantastic effort on Saturday.

GACC has been working so hard and getting closer to winning games, and the Bluejays really deserve to win this one, in my opinion.

A win for GACC would be their first in 2018 and would snap a 6-game losing streak.

The Guardian Angels Central Catholic has won 4 in a now as the Bluejays knocked off O'Neill 64-59 at home last Friday night, won 64-54 at Hartington Cedar Catholic on Saturday, and knocked off Spalding Academy 61-35 on the road Thursday night.

The Bluejays led the Eagles 23-17 at the end of one before O'Neill outscored GACC 10-3 in the 2nd quarter to go up 27-26 at halftime.

The Eagles won the 3rd quarter 19-15 to go up 46-41 at the end of three.

The Bluejays outscored O'Neill 23-13 in the 4th quarter.

Lexis Haase had a double-double of 31 points and 12 rebounds while Marissa Hunke and Brenna Rief totaled 13 and 11, respectively.

GACC led the Trojans 20-13 after one. Hartington Cedar Catholic won the 2nd quarter 12-9 to make it a 29-25 game at halftime in favor of the Bluejays.

The Trojans won the 3rd quarter 18-15 to cut the deficit to 1 at 44-43 at the end of three.

GACC outscored Hartington Cedar Catholic 20-11 in the 4th quarter.

Haase led the way with 28 points while Hunke and Angela Jansen had 8 apiece.

The Bluejays led 18-5 over the Shamrocks at the end of one, and doubled up Spalding Academy 22-11 to take a 40-16 lead into the locker room.

GACC won the 3rd quarter 12-7 to go up 52-23 at the end of three.

The Shamrocks won the 4th quarter 12-9.

Haase led the team with 17 points while Hunke notched 12. Brandi Doernemann registered 10 and Jansen chipped in 7.

Great play by the Bluejays over the last couple of weeks. GACC is really starting to come on.

The Bluejays (13-5) battle Battle Creek or Boone Central/Newman Grove in the Mid-State Conference Tournament at Norfolk Catholic Monday evening at 6:15 p.m.

GACC is the No. 1 seed in this tournament, and I think the Bluejays have a chance to be successful in and win it.

It won't be easy, but GACC is a tough, championship proven team, and I fully expect the Bluejays to show up and play great basketball.

Haase has played great lately and all season long for that matter, as has Hunke, Jansen, and Rief.

GACC needs to continue their hot play in from recent games, and continue to improve and get better in every contest.

We are to the point in the season where things start to matter and count more, and that all begins with this conference tournament.

The Bluejays are in the business of winning, and winning championships, and a Mid-State Conference Tournament Championship would be a huge step towards winning sub-districts, districts, and state.

GACC is going to be a tough team to beat from here on out, and as long as nothing major or drastic happens, they should be right there in the thick of the State Championship Picture in Class D-1.

After all, the Bluejays are the defending Class D-1 State Champions.

You can bet GACC will not go down lightly in this tournament or during the rest of the season for that matter.

The Bluejays have to continue to get after things aggressively on defense, and apply tight, in your face full court pressure on opponents.

I look for GACC to get after things offensively and defensively in this tournament.

I feel the Bluejays are starting to figure things out offensively, and their defense continues to be consistent.

I think GACC's offense is clicking at the right time and the Bluejays are putting things together at the right time.

I fully expect GACC to continue to play well and make a run in this tournament.

I look for the Bluejays to be on top of their game from here on out and be a very difficult team to knock off throughout the remainder of the season.

Emerson-Hubbard Boys lose to Wakefield and Allen; Girls lose to Trojans, top Eagles

The Emerson-Hubbard Boys Basketball Team lost 70-24 at Wakefield last Friday night and 54-50 at home in overtime to Allen Thursday night.

The Trojans led the Pirates 20-2 after one and outscored Emerson-Hubbard 19-6 in the 2nd quarter to take a 39-8 lead into the locker room.

Wakefield outscored the Pirates 15-4 in the 3rd quarter to go up 54-12 at the end of three.

The Trojans won the 4th quarter 16-12.

The Pirates doubled up the Eagles 16-8 in the 1st quarter. Allen outscored Emerson-Hubbard 22-8 in the 2nd quarter to take a 30-24 lead into the locker room.

The Eagles won the 2nd quarter 11-9 to go up 41-33 at the end of three.

The Pirates outscored Allen 10-2 in the 4th quarter to force overtime with the game tied at 43.

The Eagles outlasted Emerson-Hubbard 11-7 in the extra session.

I thought the Pirates started out and finished the 4th quarter strong against Allen, but couldn't quite finish the game.

Emerson-Hubbard (1-15) takes on Winnebago (13-3) in the Lewis and Clark Conference Tournament at 7:45 p.m. Monday at Winnebago.

The Indians are coming off a 67-55 loss at BRLD Thursday night.

The Pirates lost 79-50 at Winnebago on January 9th.

Emerson-Hubbard actually did well offensively in that game.

The Pirates still need to play stronger defense, but defending Winnebago is tricky.

Emerson-Hubbard has to be as competitive as possible in this game.

The Pirates have to light a fire under themselves, and come out and play strong basketball for 4 quarters.

Emerson-Hubbard has to be upset about the loss to Allen, and must come out and do something about it.

It won't be easy for the Pirates to knock off the Indians, but anything is possible.

Winnebago has been scuffling a bit lately so don't be surprised if Emerson-Hubbard competes the way they did last time.

I am in no way thinking the Pirates will win, but Emerson-Hubbard has to believe that they can get the job done.

The Pirates figured things out on one side of the ball against the Indians, now Emerson-Hubbard just has to figure things out defensively.

Emerson-Hubbard has to shoot the ball at a high percentage and play strong defense against Winnebago.

The Pirates have to play to win, and not play not to lose.

Emerson-Hubbard also can't be afraid of the Indians.

The Pirates have to play loose and confident instead of tight and nervous.

Easier said than done, but Emerson-Hubbard appeared to have played pretty well after the 1st quarter of the first meeting between these two teams.

If the Pirates can compete with the Indians once they can do it again so we'll see how things all shake out Monday night.

The Emerson-Hubbard Girls Basketball Team lost 41-33 at Wakefield last Friday night before topping Allen 41-32 at home Thursday night.

The Trojans held a 7-4 lead at the end of one and outscored the Pirates 10-6 in the 2nd quarter to take a 17-10 lead into the locker room.

Emerson-Hubbard doubled up Wakefield 12-6 in the 3rd quarter to make it a 23-22 game at the end of three.

The Trojans outscored the Pirates 18-11 in the 4th quarter.

Melanie Gentrup had 18 points and 7 rebounds while Addison Mackling notched 9 points. Courtney Bokemper recorded 10 rebounds.

Emerson-Hubbard led the Eagles 10-8 after one and won the 2nd quarter 11-5 to take a 21-13 lead into the locker room.

The Pirates outscored Allen 10-3 in the 3rd quarter to go up 31-16 at the end of three.

The Eagles won the 4th quarter 16-10.

Gentrup and Mackling paced Emerson-Hubbard with 10 points apiece while Taylor Lamp totaled 9 points and 8 rebounds. Bokemper added 13 rebounds.

Great activity offensively and defensively from the Pirates. The Wakefield loss was tough, but I thought Emerson-Hubbard did a nice job bouncing back against Allen.

The Pirates (4-13) take on Ponca (10-8) in the Lewis and Clark Conference Tournament on Saturday in Osmond.

The Indians won 43-37 at Wynot Thursday night.

Ponca beat Emerson-Hubbard 53-32 on the road at December 15th.

I thought the Pirates didn't do too bad in that game, and I look for Emerson-Hubbard to compete well against the Indians this time around as well.

I know a lot of people might think a 21-point loss is a bad loss, but I think considering the Pirates only have 7 active players on the roster and how good Ponca normally is it isn't too bad.

I think Emerson-Hubbard is improving as more girls are getting involved in the offense and defense.

Mackling and Lamp have started to step up and do some of the scoring, taking the load off of Bokemper and even Gentrup you could say.

That's a good sign for the Pirates, who need to continue to get solid contributions from everyone.

If everyone can follow suit and put up big numbers for Emerson-Hubbard then the Pirates could become a great team.

Anything can happen in a tournament, and Emerson-Hubbard has to play optimistic and upbeat basketball.

I think winning over the Eagles will really help the Pirates moving forward.

Emerson-Hubbard is competing well against some of the tough teams on their schedule, and I look for that trend to continue.

Sure the Pirates have had some lopsided losses, but overall I think things have been pretty respectable for Emerson-Hubbard, especially considering they only have 7 girls on the roster.

The Pirates have to keep working hard and must keep their chin up and stay positive at all times.

Emerson-Hubbard has potential, and I feel the Pirates can win another game or two before the regular season concludes.

Emerson-Hubbard has a tough stretch of games after this tournament, but I fully expect the Pirates to come out and compete well.

Saturday's game between Emerson-Hubbard and Ponca will tip-off at 6:00 p.m.

The winner gets either Osmond or Allen at 7:45 p.m. on Tuesday in Creighton.

Winnebago Boys and Girls 1-2 in last three games

The Winnebago Boys Basketball Team is 1-2 in their last three games, winning 52-50 at home over Ponca last Tuesday night, losing 73-59 to Gretna at the Nebraska Prep Classic at Ralston Arena on Saturday, and falling 67-55 at BRLD Thursday night.

The Indians and Dragons were tied at 14 after one. Gretna outscored Winnebago 19-14 in the 2nd quarter to take a 33-28 lead into the locker room.

The Dragons won the 3rd quarter 13-12 to go up 46-40 at the end of three.

Gretna outscored the Indians 27-19 in the 4th quarter.

BRLD broke out a nine-point in the first half after being deadlocked with Winnebago at 15-apiece after the opening quarter, and led 36-27 at halftime. BRLD led for the majority of the game, led 48-38 after three quarters and outscored WHS 19-17 in the fourth to win.

D'Von LaPointe, who surpassed the 1,000-point mark for his career, led Winnebago with 16 points. Manape Cleveland added 12, and Lance Denney chipped in 11.

Winnebago did a great job beating Ponca and getting revenge, but Gretna and BRLD proved to be very good and tough teams.

The Indians (13-3) take on Emerson-Hubbard (1-15) in the Lewis and Clark Conference Tournament on Monday.

The Pirates lost 54-50 at home to Allen Thursday night.

Winnebago beat Emerson-Hubbard 79-50 at home on January 9th.

That game was somewhat close and competitive, at least after the first quarter.

The Indians have to come out and respond well to the loss to the Wolverines.

Winnebago has to come out ready to avenge some recent defeats, and get back on track.

I feel Winnebago has a good chance to win this tournament again, but it's going to take a great effort on their part.

Ponca is a dangerous team, and I look for the tournament to come down to Winnebago and Ponca.

Walthill is tough too as is Osmond, but I look for Winnebago to beat the Tigers if they play them.

The Indians have to put the BRLD loss behind them and regroup on Monday.

That was a great team Winnebago lost to Thursday night, and the Indians just have to forget about it and move on.

Winnebago is still a great team, and I'm sure the Indians will bounce back in a big way.

The Indians challenge themselves continually with tough games, and I think that's only going to help Winnebago in this tournament and in the postseason.

Everything is still out in front of the Indians in terms of making and being a factor at state.

Winnebago just has to refocus themselves on the Pirates on Monday.

Emerson-Hubbard is the only team the Indians should be focused on right now.

Winnebago can't worry about or dwell on the past. The Indians have to move on, and come out and play a strong game against the Pirates Monday night.

I look for Winnebago to rebound in a big way on Monday, and advance to the next round of this tournament.

The Indians and Emerson-Hubbard will meet at 7:45 p.m. on Monday in Winnebago.

The winner gets either Winside or Creighton in Wausa on Thursday at 6:00 p.m.

The Winnebago Girls Basketball Team is also 1-2 in their last 3 games, winning 42-33 at home over Ponca last Tuesday night before falling 54-52 at home to Pierce last Friday night, and 65-56 at home to Pender Thursday night.

Ponca led 16-12 after one. Winnebago won the 2nd quarter 5-3 to make it a 19-17 game at halftime in favor of Ponca.

Winnebago outscored Ponca 15-3 in the 3rd quarter to pull in front 32-22 at the end of three.

Ponca won the 4th quarter 11-10.

Winnebago led the Bluejays 14-12 after one. Pierce won the 2nd quarter 14-13 to make it a 27-26 game at halftime in favor of the Indians.

The Bluejays outscored Winnebago 12-9 in the 3rd quarter to go up 38-36 at the end of three.

Both teams scored 16 points in the 4th quarter.

The Pendragons jumped on the Indians 18-12 at the end of one. Both teams scored 14 points in the 2nd quarter, and the lead was 32-26 at halftime in favor of Pender.

Winnebago won the 3rd quarter 10-6 to make it a 38-36 game at the end of three in favor of Pender.

The Pendragons outscored the Indians 27-20 in the 4th quarter.

I thought Winnebago played great basketball against Ponca and Pierce. Winnebago had a tough time with Pender for whatever reason though.

The Indians (7-9) battle Bloomfield (6-12) in the 1st round of the Lewis and Clark Conference Tournament on Saturday.

The Bees lost 50-13 at home to top seeded Hartington-Newcastle last Friday night.

Bloomfield has lost 5 in a row and 6 out of their last 7.

I look for Winnebago to win this one, and win it rather convincingly.

I think the Indians will play a great game, and make a push to upset Hartington-Newcastle in the next round should the two play.

Winnebago has to be focused on the Bees right now though.

The Indians can't worry about a potential matchup with the Wildcats should they make it to the next round and play them.

Winnebago's sole focus and purpose has to be on Bloomfield.

If the Indians don't beat the Bees they most likely won't get a shot at Hartington-Newcastle.

No win is a given as evident by the Pender game Thursday night.

Winnebago has to come out strong and be ready to deliver the first blow to Bloomfield.

The Indians have to set the tone of the game, and come out ready to go full tilt for 4 quarters.

Winnebago has to shoot the ball well, and play good defense.

I feel the Indians' defense will be key in this game.

Winnebago can score, but defense kind of let the Indians down against Pierce and especially Pender you could say.

Winnebago has to defend well, and get out in transition.

Applying tight on the ball pressure, contesting shots, and boxing out will all be critical for the Indians as will creating turnovers and steals to get out in transition.

Winnebago and Bloomfield will play at 6:00 p.m. at Hartington.

If the Indians win they will play either Hartington-Newcastle or the Creighton/Winside winner at 6:00 p.m. on Tuesday in Creighton.

BRLD Boys 3-0 in last three games; Girls 1-1 in last two

The BRLD Boys Basketball Team has things rolling as the Wolverines blasted Humphrey/Lindsay Holy Family 70-45 at home Friday night, rolled Stanton 62-27 on the road Saturday, and knocked off Winnebago 67-55 at home Thursday night.

Both the Wolverines and Bulldogs scored 19 points in the 1st quarter. BRLD won the 2nd quarter 11-7 to take a 30-26 lead into the locker room.

The Wolverines outscored Humphrey/Lindsay Holy Family 18-11 to go up 48-37 at the end of three.

BRLD outscored the Bulldogs 22-8 in the 4th quarter.

The Wolverines led the Mustangs 22-7 at the end of one and won the 2nd quarter 11-9 to take a 33-16 lead into the locker room.

BRLD outscored Stanton 17-5 in the 3rd quarter to extend the lead to 29 at 50-21 at the end of three.

The Wolverines doubled the Mustangs 12-6 in the 4th quarter.

BRLD broke out a nine-point in the first half after being deadlocked with Winnebago at 15-apiece after the opening quarter, and led 36-27 at halftime. BRLD led for the majority of the game, led 48-38 after three quarters and outscored WHS 19-17 in the fourth.

Four players hit double figures for the Wolverines, led by a game-high 21 points from Darwin Snyder, followed by Kenyan Lovejoy with 15, Lucas Vogt with 12 and Jaxon Johnson with 10. Johnson was one board shy of a double-double as he unofficially had nine.

BRLD is now 16-1 on the season, having won 11 in a row with tonight's huge win. Winnebago falls to 13-3.

BRLD begins EHC tournament play as the #2 seed and will host a pair of games on Tuesday, January 30. They will play the winner of Saturday's play-in game between Howells-Dodge and Pender, following the 6:00 p.m. game between the North Bend Central/Tekamah-Herman winner and the West Point-Beemer/Madison winner.

Boy what a great win for the Wolverines Thursday night! BRLD knocked off a great team in Winnebago, and really played a complete four quarter game, in my opinion.

This win will no doubt give the Wolverines the confidence to go into the East Husker Conference Tournament and win it.

BRLD has to believe they can hang with and beat anyone in the conference after Thursday night's game if they didn't already.

There has to be a lot of emotions running high for the Wolverines right now.

What a great and magnificent win for BRLD.

The Wolverines should enjoy the win now, but get ready to get back after things in practice on Friday or whenever they practice next.

BRLD is playing amazing basketball right now, and figures to continue it in the East Husker Conference Tournament.

The Wolverines can do major damage in this tournament, in my opinion.

If BRLD plays like they did Thursday night they can win the whole ball of wax at State in March.

The Wolverines have to stay humble and focused, but great all around team win Thursday night.

BRLD should be very proud of what they've accomplished so far this year, but has to keep their eye on the prize.

The job is not done yet, and the Wolverines have to understand that there's a long season still ahead of them.

BRLD has to feel great about how far they've matured and come along so far this year though.

The Wolverines are growing up right before our very eyes.

The BRLD Girls Basketball Team won 75-55 at home over Humphrey/Lindsay Holy Family Friday night and lost 60-46 at Stanton on Saturday.

The Bulldogs led the Wolverines 15-13 at the end of one before BRLD outscored Humphrey/Lindsay Holy Family 15-6 in the 2nd quarter to go up 28-21 at halftime.

The Wolverines outscored the Bulldogs 26-9 in the 3rd quarter to lead 54-30 at the end of three.

Humphrey/Lindsay Holy Family won the 4th quarter 25-21.

The Mustangs led 19-12 after one, and outscored BRLD 12-5 in the 2nd quarter to take a 31-17 lead into the locker room.

Stanton won the 3rd quarter 15-13 to go up 46-30 at the end of three.

The Wolverines won the 4th quarter 16-14.

Paige Peters had 15 points while Vicki Gatzemeyer totaled 12.

Great win for BRLD Friday night, and a tough, but quality loss on Saturday.

The Wolverines (13-4) take on Tekamah-Herman (6-13) in the 1st round of the East Husker Conference Tournament in Lyons Friday night.

The Tigers lost 53-33 at home to Howells-Dodge this past Friday night.

BRLD beat Tekamah-Herman 48-25 at home on Friday, January 5th.

The Tigers are improving and coming along nicely this year, but I look for the Wolverines to take care of business again.

I think Peters, Gatzemeyer, Tiahna Bonneau, Mariah Petersen, Kelsey Larsen, Sophia Henneman, and Brandi Simonsen, among others, will be too much for Tekamah-Herman to handle.

I just think BRLD has too many weapons offensively to get beat by the Tigers.

The Wolverines might face Humphrey/Lindsay Holy Family and Stanton again in this tournament before things are all said and done.

I'm sure BRLD would love to get another crack at the Mustangs again for the right to play at Central Community College in Columbus next Saturday.

This is a solid conference, and it's going to take a great effort from the Wolverines to do damage in this tournament.

BRLD is definitely capable of making a run, but it won't be easy.

I think the Wolverines have a really good chance to make the semifinals though.

It's just getting past Stanton I don't know about.

Perhaps the Mustangs will get upset by Clarkson/Leigh or Oakland-Craig though.

If that's the case then I think BRLD has a great shot at reaching the Conference Championship Game.

The Wolverines have to keep playing great on offense and continue to improve against the great teams from a defensive standpoint.

BRLD can score points and win games, but it's the defense that is going to need to come through for the Wolverines if they are to win a championship in this tournament, and in the postseason.

BRLD has to focus on getting turnovers and getting out in transition, allowing their defense to lead to their offense.

This team is very gifted offensively, but if the Wolverines are to knock off a great team like Stanton, their defense needs to come through.

Clarkson/Leigh Boys 1-2 in last three games; Girls 2-1 in same time frame

The Clarkson/Leigh Boys Basketball Team went 1-2 last week, beating Elgin Public/ Pope John 61-50 on the road last Tuesday night, losing 51-37 at home to Twin River last Thursday night, and falling 62-44 at home to Lutheran High Northeast Friday night.

The Patriots held a 19-12 lead at the end of one and won the 2nd quarter 11-7 to take a 30-19 lead into the locker room.

The Wolfpack won the 3rd quarter 15-8 to make it a 38-34 game at the end of three.

Clarkson/Leigh outscored Elgin Public/Pope John 23-16 in the 4tth quarter.

Daniel Beller had 22 points and 8 rebounds while Haden Held notched 12 points. Anthony Bruhn added 10 while Tommy McEvoy registered 8 points and 8 rebounds.

The Titans got out to a 10-4 lead after one and won the 2nd quarter 11-10 to go up 21-14 at halftime.

Both teams scored 14 points in the 3rd quarter, and the score after 3 was 35-28 in favor of Twin River.

The Titans outscored the Patriots 16-9 in the 4th quarter.

Bruhn posted 9 points and 9 rebounds while Beller had 8 points and 8 rebounds. Garrett Schroeder chipped in 7 points.

The Eagles held a 12-11 lead on Clarkson/Leigh after one, and won the 2nd quarter 17-15 to take a 29-26 lead into the locker room.

Lutheran High Northeast outscored the Patriots 15-7 in the 3rd quarter to go up 44-33 at the end of three.

The Eagles outscored Clarkson/Leigh 18-11 in the 4th quarter.

Beller totaled 14 points and 10 rebounds, good enough for a double-double. Bruhn chipped in 11 points.

McEvoy wasn't in the box score in either of the last two games last week so hopefully he's okay.

The Patriots (2-13) battle Wisner-Pilger (12-4) at Wisner in the 1st round of the East Husker Conference Tournament on Saturday.

The Gators won 58-47 at Pender last Thursday night.

Clarkson/Leigh is definitely at a disadvantage in this game, especially if they don't have McEvoy.

Beller and Bruhn can't shoulder the load on their own.

Held also stepped up against the Wolfpack, and the Patriots need 4 or 5 kids to get in double figures to have a chance in this one.

Wisner-Pilger has a good mix of freshmen and seniors, and is a very good team.

It certainly won't be easy for Clarkson/Leigh to win, but the Patriots did upset Logan View/Scribner-Snyder in the tournament two years ago.

Anything can happen, and Clarkson/Leigh has to believe and has to play optimistic basketball Saturday night.

The Patriots are playing prime time basketball, and Clarkson/Leigh has to be on top of their game.

The Patriot faithful has to get behind this team and Clarkson/Leigh has to feed off the energy and enthusiasm from the crowd.

It's "Black Out"night at Wisner-Pilger for the Patriot fans so all the Clarkson/Leigh fans have to wear black in support of the team.

Hopefully the Patriots have a lot of fans show up because I'm sure Clarkson/Leigh could really use the support.

I look for the Patriots to come out and have a strong showing, and play a good game, and put forth a great effort.

I think defense will be key in this game for Clarkson/Leigh.

The Gators have some good scorers and kids that can shoot and score so the Patriots have to be up for the challenge of slowing down Wisner-Pilger.

The Clarkson/Leigh Girls Basketball Team is 2-1 in their last three games, winning 42-32 at Elgin Public/Pope John last Tuesday night, falling 37-22 at home to Twin River last Thursday night, and beating Lutheran High Northeast 41-29 at home Friday night.

The Patriots jumped out to a 15-8 lead on the Wolfpack at the end of one before winning the 2nd quarter 6-5 to go up 21-13 at halftime.

Elgin Public/Pope John won the 3rd quarter 11-8 to make it a 29-24 game at the end of three.

Clarkson/Leigh outscored the Wolfpack 13-8 in the 4th quarter.

Halee Steffensmeier had a team-high 13 points while Paige Moore totaled 9. Kaegan Held notched 8 points while Ashlynn Novotny posted 9 rebounds.

The Titans led the Patriots 6-4 after one, and won the 2nd quarter 12-8 to lead 18-12 at halftime.

Twin River doubled up Clarkson/Leigh 10-5 in the 3rd quarter to go up 28-17 at the end of three.

The Titans won the 4th quarter 9-5.

Held finished with 11 points to lead the Patriots.

The Eagles got out to an 8-6 lead after one, and won the 2nd quarter 7-5 to take a 15-11 lead into the locker room.

Clarkson/Leigh outscored LHNE 10-4 in the 3rd quarter to go in front 21-19 at the end of three.

The Patriots doubled up the Eagles 20-10 in the 4th quarter.

Held led the way with 16 points while Novotny totaled 12 points and 10 rebounds. Kim Stodola recorded 8 points.

Good job by Clarkson/Leigh against Elgin Public/Pope John and in the 2nd half of the LHNE game. The Patriots struggled against Twin River and in the 1st half of the LHNE contest though.

Clarkson/Leigh (11-5) takes on Oakland-Craig (11-6) in the 1st round of the East Husker Conference Tournament at Howells-Dodge Friday night.

The Knights lost 35-26 at home to North Bend Central this past Friday night.

The Patriots beat the Knights 36-30 at home on December 5th.

That was when Oakland-Craig had Kennedy Benne I might add.

This game figures to be close and interesting again, and I feel both teams are better than the seed they received for the tournament.

I definitely think Clarkson/Leigh is better than an 8 seed even though they lost to the 4, 5, 6, and 7 seeds.

I feel the Patriots have something to prove and will play with a chip on their shoulder.

I look for Clarkson/Leigh to use the seeding as fuel and motivation.

I wouldn't be totally shocked if the Patriots beat the Knights then upset Stanton in the 2nd round on Monday.

Clarkson/Leigh has a very tough road to Columbus, but you never know, the Patriots could be one of the last 4 teams standing.

Clarkson/Leigh just has to believe and dream big.

The Patriots are still in good position to snatch a wildcard into the State Tournament so Clarkson/Leigh has to keep on trucking and plugging away.

Even if the Patriots were to lose a game in this tournament it wouldn't be the end of the world as long as Clarkson/Leigh bounces back from it.

I think the Patriots have something to prove in this tournament though.

I don't think you will see Clarkson/Leigh go down quietly and without a fight.

I fully expect the Patriots to give the Knights and whoever else they play all they can handle and then some.

Friday's game against Oakland-Craig is set to tip-off at 6:00 p.m.

Oakland-Craig Boys and Girls fall to North Bend Central

The Oakland-Craig Boys Basketball Team lost 73-66 at home to North Bend Central Friday night in action heard on 107.9 the Bull.

Both teams' offenses were strong early on as North Bend Central got out to a 21-19 lead at the end of one.

The Knights held a 30-29 lead in the 2nd quarter, but the Tigers ended the half on a mini 5-0 run to take a 34-30 lead into the locker room.

Oakland-Craig Head Coach Aaron Meyer says that was a key point in the game. "One of those deals where we didn't end the 1st half well. We gave up a 3. Went from a one point lead to a 4. Loved the way we made a big run at the end of regulation. But you get into overtime, and maybe I made the mistake of telling the guys you got to be one of the first ones to draw blood. They got a 2 and then they got a 3, and in overtime that's just hard to get behind the 8 ball on the first two possessions like that. But North Bend's very, very talented. And we were up to the challenge. That was a great game."

North Bend Central scored the first 4 points of the 3rd quarter to make it a 38-30 game, capping off a 9-0 run.

The Tigers eventually led 48-42 heading into the 4th quarter.

The Knights outscored North Bend Central 18-12 in the final period to force OT with the game tied at 60.

The Tigers scored the first 7 points of overtime in outscoring Oakland-Craig 13-6 in the extra session.

North Bend Central Head Coach Jon Baehr says that was the difference in the game. "Yeah we talked on the bench just to stay with it, do our job, make sure we're communicating on defense, and make sure we got a good offensive possession. And we were able to do that. Just fortunate to come away with it this time."

The Knights were led by Garrett Seagren's game-high 37 points. "Wow I did not know that he had that many. Yeah Garrett was feeling it, he was feeling it tonight. And all in all, he was letting the game come to him. At the end of the game there was a few guys that forced a few shots, but all in all I mean he was doing a lot of really good thigs. So yeah he had a great game obviously," Meyer said.

Also scoring in double figures for now 11-6 Oakland-Craig was Garrison Dodge, who had 14 points. Wyatt Seagren notched 8.

The Knights battle Stanton (2-15) in the first round of the East Husker Conference Tournament at Wisner-Pilger on Saturday.

The Mustangs lost 62-27 at home to BRLD on Saturday.

Oakland-Craig beat Stanton 60-30 at home on Friday, January 5th.

I look for the Knights to cruise to another easy win on Saturday, but Oakland-Craig has to be sharp.

Wisner-Pilger will be looming perhaps on Tuesday, and what a battle and a matchup that would be.

There are a lot of really good teams in the East Husker Conference this year, on the boys' side especially.

I feel there are 6 teams that could win this Conference Tournament.

The Knights made the 3rd place game at Central Community College in Columbus last year, beating BRLD in that game.

It certainly won't be easy for Oakland-Craig to get back there, but it can definitely happen.

Garrett Seagren has to have a great game for the Knights, and Dodge and Wyatt Seagren have to turn in a similar performance to what they had against the Tigers.

Oakland-Craig needs everyone to contribute, a all hands on deck effort.

The Knights have to go out there and play hard, and let the scoreboard take care of itself.

Oakland-Craig has to jump on the Mustangs early and put Stanton away.

The Knights can't let the Mustangs hang around and think that they have a chance to win.

Oakland-Craig has to come out and play strong offense and defense, and look to create turnovers and steals into easy transition baskets.

The Knights have to be relentless with their attack, and must run run and run.

I think Oakland-Craig has a good shot to make it back to CCC in Columbus, but the Knights could definitely have their work cut out for them after the Stanton game if they can get past the Mustangs.

The Oakland-Craig Girls Basketball Team lost 35-26 at home to North Bend Central Friday night.

Oakland-Craig got out to a strong start and held an early lead, 11-8 at the end of the 1st quarter.

North Bend Central battled back to go up 16-12 in the 2nd quarter before the Knights went on a mini 5-0 run to conclude the first half, capped off by Mya Guzinski's 3-pointer to end the half.

Oakland-Craig Head Coach Joe Anderson says his team came out strong. "Yeah that was something we really really wanted to. These last few games have been a struggle since Kennedy's (Benne) injury. And it was nice to have a couple days of practice. We haven't had any practice since that's happened. So our girls came out with a lot more energy, and played good defense. North Bend, that's a very good basketball team. We're just a body or two short right now. Kind of ran out of gas. But like I said I love the improvement. Girls have to take on new roles, and I thought we really did that tonight."

North Bend Central went on an 11-0 run in the 3rd quarter to lead 32-22 after trailing 22-21.

The Tigers won the 4th quarter 6-4.

Guzinski had a game-high 14 points for the Knights, who fell to 11-6 on the year with loss. "Yeah she played really well. That was by far her best game of the season. And I've talked to a couple of them with Kennedy out and obviously Dacey (Nelson) out, there's 45 points a game that we normally have, that somebody's got to step up and score. And we struggled with that on Tuesday. And we're not used to that. Natalia (McNeill) did a little bit on Tuesday, and she's kind of been our second scorer, but we need that next person, and Mya did a great job tonight, and played with confidence and kept us right there," Anderson said.

Oakland-Craig battles Clarkson/Leigh (11-5) in the 1st round of the East Husker Conference Tournament at Howells-Dodge Friday night.

The Patriots beat Lutheran High Northeast 41-29 at home Friday night.

Clarkson/Leigh knocked off Oakland-Craig 36-30 at home on December 5th when the Knights had Benne so imagine the challenge Oakland-Craig faces this time around.

Perhaps the Knights will be able to win though.

I thought Oakland-Craig did a nice job keeping the North Bend Central game low scoring and slowed it down enough to give themselves a shot.

That's something I think the Knights will need to do again against Clarkson/Leigh Friday night.

I think a low scoring game favors the Patriots, but it's the type of game Oakland-Craig has to want at this point.

The Knights need Guzinski and McNeill to really step up and score, and must get them both going to be successful.

I think Oakland-Craig has a shot to win, but it won't be easy.

I feel the Knights were better than a 9 seed prior to Benne getting hurt, and think the Patriots are a better team than the 8 seed so this should be a good and interesting contest.

Both teams play strong defense and I think defense will be on point for both teams in this game.

I think it's matter of which team's offense shows up and plays the best.

At this point you would have to say Clarkson/Leigh has more offensive weapons, but that doesn't mean some can't be developed for Oakland-Craig by the time they take the floor.

I look for both teams to come out and play well and tough.

I think this game will be a good one.

Tip-off is set for 6:00 p.m. at Howells-Dodge.

Tekamah-Herman Boys fall to Fort Calhoun; Girls beat Pioneers, lose to Howells-Dodge

The Tekamah-Herman Boys Basketball team fell 68-25 at home to Fort Calhoun last Thursday night.

The Pioneers led 19-4 after one, and outscored Tekamah-Herman 27-14 in the 2nd quarter to take a 46-18 lead into the locker room.

Fort Calhoun outscored the Tigers 17-2 in the 3rd quarter to lead 63-20 at the end of three.

Both teams scored 5 points in the 4th quarter.

Clay Beaumont had a team-high 6 points for Tekamah-Herman.

Another tough loss for the Tigers to take I'm sure. I really thought Tekamah-Herman had a chance to compete in this one and make it close, but it just didn't happen.

Tekamah-Herman (0-14) takes on North Bend Central (12-2) in the first round of the East Husker Conference Tournament in North Bend on Saturday.

North Bend Central won 73-66 in overtime at Oakland-Craig Friday night.

This game figures to be another tough challenge for Tekamah-Herman.

I'm not sure what you say to your team at this point other than continue to fight, claw, scrap, and work hard.

Tekamah-Herman has to buy into the idea that upsets happen all the time this time of year, and try and pull off a shocker.

Tekamah-Herman has to remain as positive as they can, and continue to fight and work hard.

Tekamah-Herman has to go out there and give it their all for 4 quarters.

Tekamah-Herman has to do everything possible to upset North Bend Central.

Defending and trying to slow down the likes of John Emanuel, Austin Endorf, and Tanner Wietfeld figures to be extremely difficult for Tekamah-Herman.

Tekamah-Herman has to make it a point to play strong defense, and get steals and create turnovers to get out and run in transition.

Tekamah-Herman has to allow their defense lead to their offense, and also has to do a good job of taking care of the ball.

Tekamah-Herman has to get off to a fast start, and must play a complete game.

Tekamah-Herman has yet to put things all together this year, but you never know when that might happen.

Tekamah-Herman has nothing to lose so they have to play loose and with reckless abandonment against North Bend Central.

Tekamah-Herman shouldn't be nervous or feel any pressure at all.

All the pressure should squarely be on North Bend Central's shoulders.

The Tekamah-Herman Girls Basketball Team won 30-20 at home over Fort Calhoun last Thursday night before falling 53-33 at home to Howells-Dodge Friday night.

Against the Pioneers, Gabby Mercier scored all seven first-quarter points for the Tigers, and all at the foul line, where the Tigers went 13-20.

Mercier led Tekamah-Herman with a career-high 12 points on one three and 9-12 at the foul line and also led T-H with eight steals. Marin Jetensky was held to six points, but ripped down 14 boards and had seven steals.

Head Coach David Eriksen's girls pulled away in the fourth quarter. "I just told them they're going to have to buckle down and start believing in themselves, and good things will happen. And we started to see that in the 4th quarter when started to make some shots, and started attacking the basket, and actually getting to the free throw line and making some more free throws."

Eriksen's Tigers lost their first six games but have turned things around. "Coming in I only returned one starter and two letterwinners. So we have a lot of young girls. And just being a first year head coach it took half the season to figure everybody out. And I really like where we're sitting right now. We're definitely a different team than we were at the beginning of the year."

The Jaguars led the Tigers 15-4 after one, and won the 2nd quarter 14-11 to lead 29-15 at halftime.

Tekamah-Herman outscored Howells-Dodge 14-9 in the 3rd quarter to make it a 38-29 game at the end of three.

The Jaguars outscored the Tigers 15-4 in the 4th quarter.

Jetensky had 13 points to lead Tekamah-Herman while Mercier scored 11.

I thought the Tigers did enough to win over Fort Calhoun and played good for two quarters against the Jaguars. Now it's a matter of becoming consistently good for 4 quarters if you are Tekamah-Herman.

The Tigers (6-13) take on BRLD (13-4) in Lyons in the first round of the East Husker Conference Tournament Friday night.

The Wolverines fell 60-46 at Stanton on Saturday.

BRLD beat Tekamah-Herman 48-25 at home on January 5th.

I feel the Tigers are playing better basketball since that time, but the Wolverines are simply consistent.

An upset can definitely happen here, but Tekamah-Herman has to play out of their minds.

The Tigers have to defend the way they did the first time around and pick up the offense.

Tekamah-Herman is going to need to at least score in the 40's to have a chance to win, in my opinion.

BRLD has so much firepower offensively and can score at will and at anytime so the Tigers have to be wary of and watch out for that.

Tekamah-Herman simply has to go into this game believing.

The Tigers have to believe they can and must expect to win when they take the floor.

Tekamah-Herman is beyond moral victories and losing.

The Tigers have to want to win this one, and have to want to win it badly.

Tekamah-Herman has to play as if their season is on the line because soon it will be.

The Tigers have to find a way to play good, consistent basketball for four quarters.

Tekamah-Herman has to play without fear and not be afraid of the Wolverines.

The Tigers have nothing to lose and should feel no pressure whatsoever.

Tekamah-Herman has to go out there and play loose and carefree, and see what happens.