LINCOLN – The Kearney boys basketball team dropped their second straight contest on the season, falling 65-50 to Lincoln North Star in the Heartland Athletic Conference Tournament consolation round. Click here to listen to the broadcast replay.
Kearney entered the tournament at as the #6 seed and earned their way into more basketball with a dominating win over Fremont on Wednesday at Kearney High School. After dropping a rematch with Lincoln High the day prior, the Bearcats entered the third day of the tournament facing #7 Lincoln North Star who had won over Norfolk in their first round but fell to Lincoln Southwest the day before.
Kearney worked through their early contest woes from the previous contest as the Bearcats exploded for an early advantage over the Navigators, earning an 8-0 lead in the first three minutes of play. Karter Lee, Jack Dahlgren, and Ben Johnson all scored early to open the momentum on Kearney’s side. After a timeout by North Star, the Gators began clawing back as a 13-4 lead closed to 18-15 by the end of the first quarter.
KHS BBB
The Bearcats maintained their lead into the second quarter, knocking down three pointers in back-to-back possessions by Ben Johnson but going relatively quiet otherwise only adding in 10 points in the second. North Star found more momentum with their size both offensively and defensively, as the ‘Gators Brennon Clemmons and Antallah Sadlin’el added 9 points combined with a triple by KG Gatwech providing the spark to push North Star into a halftime lead. The Gators led 29-28 at the half.
KHS BBB
Kearney never regained the lead in the second half, as the length and tenacity of North Star stifled the Bearcat attack. Karter Lee kept the Bearcats in play with two corner three pointers, but Kearney was outpaced 20-14 and 16-8 in the third and fourth quarters. The Bearcats would end the game with reserves seeing time as free throws extended the lead further, and North Star earned their 65-50 win.
KHS BBB
The Bearcats drop to 7-3 on the year and fall in back-to-back games for the first time this season. Kearney had contributions from Johnson ending with 21 points, Lee had 13, Dahlgren finished with 10, while Colt Straka, Asher Endorf, and Treyven Beckman each had 2.
Kearney is off until Jan. 3 when the Bearcats face North Platte at home.
