KEARNEY – The Kearney girls basketball team fell flat to Lincoln Northeast on Friday night, falling 59-32. Click here to listen to the broadcast replay.
The Bearcats entered the contest riding high having won 6 of their last 7 contests dating back to December 17. The Bearcats had previously come off a big win over one of Class B’s top rated teams in the Nebraska Girls Basketball Showcase contest as Kearney downed York 39-32.
Lincoln Northeast started the season off hot, as the Rockets bolted out to a 5-1 start. After winning on December 27, Northeast had yet to win in the new year. Entering the Friday night contest at Kearney, the Rockets were looking to get back to their winning ways.
The game started off hot for the Rockets as Northeast drilled a triple to open the scoring as Yelaniya Bradley rattled home a three pointer. Northeast added another four points, as Kearney was held scoreless in the first four minutes of the contest. It was Kearney’s Tatum Rusher burying back-to-back triples that had Kearney rise out of their first quarter slump, followed by Kaleigh Hatcher contributing two lay-ins as well with the Bearcats trailing 11-10 at the end of the first quarter.
KGFW Sports
The second quarter kept Kearney in the contest as the Bearcats hit a three pointer from Kennidy Garner and saw rotational pieces contribute with Kelsey Hatcher adding three points of her own. Haidyn Skeen had two free throws as well, but Northeast’s offense got hot with Doneelah Washington finding her rhythm as she added six points in the quarter. Washington was a stone wall defensively, not allowing many inlet passes and blocking any shots that came her way. The Rockets led 23-20 entering halftime.
The third quarter opened up as Kearney looked to tie up the contest but instead were blown out by scoring by Serena Heeren. Of the 22 points added in the third quarter, Heeren added 14 herself as her dribble drives and takes to the cup were too strong for Kearney’s defense. The Bearcats also allowed a triple from Nyathak Gatluak and 5 more points by Washington as Kearney could only muster 7 of their own and trailed 45-27 entering the fourth.
KGFW Sports
Out of gas and running out of time, the Bearcats were outpaced in the fourth quarter 14-5 and fell 59-32 as reserves saw action in the final four minutes of play.
Kearney falls to 8-4 on the season and travels to Papillion-LaVista South on Saturday afternoon. Pregame coverage on KGFW starts at 1:45 PM. The Bearcats had contributions from Rusher with 9 points, Kierstynn Garner had 6 points, Kennidy Garner had 5 points, Kaleigh Hatcher finished with 4 points, Kelsey Hatcher had 3 points, Addy Helmbrecht and Haidyn Skeen each finished with 2 points, and Kiara Dutenhoffer ended with 1 point.
