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KEARNEY – Four Bearcats scored in double-digits as Kearney earned their second win on the season Friday night 56-50 over Lincoln High. Click here to listen to the broadcast replay.

The Kearney Boys Basketball team was riding high after a buzzer-beater victory in their previous contest against Millard South the prior weekend as they opened up Kearney High School again to take on the Lincoln High Links – one of the last undefeated teams remaining in the HAC after the opening weekend of play.

The Bearcats had already suffered one defeat at home just eight days prior to Creighton Prep and hoped to get out to an early lead against the Links. Lincoln High had other plans however, as their dominant size advantage proved capable early taking a 4-0 lead in the first 90 seconds of the contest.

Central Nebraska Press Pass // KHS BBB // Corbey Dorsey Photography

Kearney settled into the contest after the brief deficit, nailing a triple from Ben Johnson to regain their offensive momentum. Down 4-3, the Bearcats worked slowly but surely to build an 8-4 lead and never look back the remainder of the contest as the Links could never gain back control. After Johnson’s triple, it was Jack Dahlgren putting in work again as he added in six points in the quarter while Karter Lee added three points. The Bearcats defense also stepped up, limiting the Links to only nine points in the first eight minutes of play to give them a 14-9 advantage.

Central Nebraska Press Pass // KHS BBB // Corbey Dorsey Photography

Kearney continued their offensive pace into the second, as a stifling defensive effort on both sides proved to shut down any attacks early. No defense could contain Dahlgren and Lee, as the prior scored an additional six while the latter added four. Vincent Garrett Jr. tried to work some magic for the Links, adding in his sixth point of the contest but Kearney’s defense wouldn’t allow anything easy despite being outsized at each position. The Bearcats maintained their lead 26-19 into halftime.

Kearney would be outscored 11-10 in the third quarter but another Ben Johnson three-pointer energized the crowd and fed into more effort from both ends of the floor for the Bearcats. Asher Endorf gained confidence throughout the game, breaking out for some magician-like up-and-unders along the baseline to add in 5 points in the third, including a three-point-play. As time was running out on the quarter, Lincoln’s Elvis Nguyen sunk a corner triple to cut the lead for Kearney to 36-30.

Central Nebraska Press Pass // KHS BBB // Corbey Dorsey Photography

Entering the fourth quarter, Kearney learned from their mistakes in the Creighton Prep matchup to keep the Links out of the contest by more than two scores consistently. Each squad added 20 points with both teams well into foul trouble and bonus opportunities. The Bearcats Treyven Beckman once again found a triple to extend the Kearney lead, while the Bearcats hit 15 consecutive free throws in the final quarter to maintain their lead and put away Lincoln High 56-50.

Central Nebraska Press Pass // KHS BBB // Corbey Dorsey Photography

The Bearcats had four players in double-digits led by Dahlgren with 17, Johnson with 13, Endorf with 12, Lee finished with 11, and Beckman had 3.

Kearney turns around quickly to take on Omaha Northwest in the metro on Saturday as pregame begins after the conclusion of the girls contest. Hear the contest on KGFW.