Bearcat Girls Hoops Wrap Up Day One in Midwest Summer Showcase

KANSAS CITY, MO – The Kearney Bearcat Girls Basketball team began their first day of competition at the 2023 Midwest Basketball Showcase in Kansas City’s HyVee Arena.

The Bearcat girls competed in two games in their first day and have two more contests scheduled for Friday.

The showcase is organized and ran by the Missouri High School Athletics Association, and competitions are set as two eighteen minute halves with a consistent running clock that can only be stopped with a timeout, injury, or a stopped ball within two minutes. Additionally, free throws outside of the two minute mark are counted as one shot for two points.

The matchups do not count towards varsity competition. The showcase is put on for team development, overall competition, and to allow collegiate coaches to scout potential prospects and recruits.

Kearney returns several players with varsity experience, but will have to replace Tatum Rusher – last year’s leading scorer and all-time leader in made three pointers – as well as Maddy Province and Haidyn Skeen. Province led the Bearcats in assists, steals, and blocks last season.

The Bearcat girls return with eight players having significant varsity experience, including five of their top eight scorers from the previous season.

GAME ONE: Kearney v. Wichita South:

To begin their showcase appearance, the Kearney Girls squad faced off against Wichita South out of Kansas. The Titans went 15-7 last season, ending in a playoff loss to Lawerence. Wichita South returned 7 of 9 varsity players from their 2022-23 season, including their top six returning scorers.

KHS Girls Basketball @ Midwest Basketball Showcase // GAME 1

Kearney started slow, not earning their first bucket until the 13:21 mark in the first period. Harley Straka knocked down the first triple for the Bearcats. The Bearcats and Titans would trade scores until the 5:10 mark of the first period, where Kearney would take their first lead up 14-12 after a floater by Kennidy Garner connected for two. A foul on a halfcourt heave at the halftime buzzer allowed Wichita South to knock down three free throws, but Kearney led into the half up 17-15.

The Bearcats hit five triples in the first half, as Paige Mailahn and Josie Murray both connected on a pair of three-pointers.

KHS Girls Basketball @ Midwest Basketball Showcase // GAME 1

In the second half, Wichita South and Kearney continued a scoring drought until the Titans tied the contest at 17 each with 13:44 remaining. Kearney’s Kiara Dutenhoffer hit back-to-back up-and-ins to tie the game at 21. Dutenhoffer would score all of her eight points in the second half.

Wichita State took a 24-21 lead with less than ten minutes to play as Kearney’s Addy Helmbrecht tied the contest at 24 with a shot and foul. Kearney’s advantage ran to 30-24 with ninety seconds remaining, but a late rally by Wichita State pushed the contest to sudden death. The Titans would hit the winning shot in the opening possession, earning the 35-33 summer showcase victory.

GAME TWO: Kearney v. Raymore-Peculiar:

Kearney started hot against Raymore-Peculiar, a Panther team that ended 8-18 last season in Missouri. The Bearcats pushed the ball and the pace repeatedly, quickly rattling nine points in the first half by Dutenhoffer. The triples continued to land as well, with Kelsey Hatcher, Mailahn, Murray, and Garner each connecting in the first period.

KHS Girls Basketball @ Midwest Basketball Showcase // GAME 2

The defense was stifling as well, holding the balanced scoring from Raymore-Peculiar to only 14 points in the opening eighteen minutes.

Kearney’s pace slowed as the game was in hand in the second period, but still showcased excellent touch on a Hatcher and-one inside the lane as the incoming junior finished through contact after an assist from Mailahn. Avery Franzen added a three pointer in the second half as well.

KHS Girls Basketball @ Midwest Basketball Showcase // GAME 2

The Bearcats would earn the 38-31 win and ended the day 1-1.

TODAY’S SCHEDULE:

The Bearcats have the morning off before returning to the Hy-Vee Arena, facing Battle High School out of Columbia, MO at 2 PM and wrapping up their Showcase against West Point High School (Missouri) at 4 PM.

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