FREMONT – Kearney was a few moments away from the biggest upset on the season, nearly toppling one of the top teams in the state Saturday night as the Fremont girls won a thriller 74-62 by knocking down clutch free throws and staving off the Bearcat onslaught. Click here to listen to the broadcast replay.
The Bearcats had had three straight contests of opponents well under the .500 mark late into the season. Riding a three-game winning streak with victories over Grand Island, Omaha South, and Lincoln North Star the previous night, Kearney’s road got much tougher with a traveling contest at Fremont on Saturday evening.
The Tigers, predicted to be one of the best in the state after their 2021 Class A State Runner-Up finish, had lived up to the billing so far on the year entering the contest at 19-2. Following the lead of their talented senior class – with four starters projected to play collegiate basketball this coming fall – the Tigers were looking to carry their momentum into another victory on the year.
The Bearcats wanted to kill the confidence of the Tigers early, as Fremont appeared stunned coming out of an opening quarter 8-2 run established by Kearney with wide-open outside shots. Kearney’s Kaleigh Hatcher started the scoring with a three pointer in the opening seconds, while Kierstynn Garner included her own on the following possession. Hatcher added another runner after a Fremont score, but the Bearcats had established the tone early. Fremont did respond as they knocked down two triples by McKenna Murphy, while three other Tigers added scores. Kearney did lead exiting the first quarter 15-14.
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Fremont’s offensive muscles flexed in the second quarter but Kearney held strong going blow-for-blow with the Tigers in the second quarter. Fremont’s Sarah Shepard – held scoreless in the first quarter – tallied 9 points from the free throw line and two jump shots while Macy Bryant began to heat up adding a three pointer with 7 total points in the second quarter. Kearney responded with Garner continuing her scoring with another three pointer and adding four more points. Tatum Rusher had added four points in the first quarter, tallied another five in the second quarter and ended the first half with nine points. Harley Straka took a baseline attack inside the teeth of the Fremont defense as well, adding her first score of the first half. In a 20-16 advantage for Fremont in the second quarter, the Tigers led into halftime 34-31.
Trading blows into the third quarter started quickly as Kearney and Fremont rattled off scores on each side. Fremont’s Taylor McCabe, a future Iowa Hawkeye and leader in three pointers made all time in Nebraska Girls basketball history, only could muster four free throws in the third quarter but had help from her friends as Bryant scored four, Shepard added a score, Murphy contributed four points, and Bella Keaton knocked down a triple. Kearney would not go away easily however, as Rusher flurried for seven more points, Straka’s scoring continued hitting a triple then adding four more points, and Hatcher knocked down two more lay-ins off assists by Garner. Tied up at 50 entering the fourth quarter, both teams were locked in and ready to battle for the final eight minutes.
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The fourth quarter caught up with Kearney in the final minutes unfortunately, as the tight defense imposed by Head Coach Kyle Fletcher resulted in double bonus opportunities for the Tigers in the remaining time. Fremont knocked down 13 of 14 free throws to close out the win 74-62 in a game that was much closer than the final score indicated.
Kearney falls to 12-9 on the season and had contributions from Rusher with 21 points, Garner had 16, Straka ended with 14, and Hatcher closed with 11 points.
