KEARNEY – The Kearney girls basketball team stifled a second half attack from the Norfolk Panthers to snap a three-game losing skid and improve to 9-7 with their 49-31 win at home Friday night. Click here to listen to the broadcast replay.
Kearney entered the day at 8-7 having lost three straight contests to some of the best teams in the state – #2 in Class B Elkhorn North, #7 Lincoln East, and #1 Bellevue West. The stretch had Kearney sitting winless since Jan. 5. Looking to bounce back, the Bearcats prepared for a Norfolk team that only had one win on the season entering the contest.
The opening moments of the contest reminded the Bearcats of two of their snow days from the week: cold. Despite a slow offensive start, Kearney was able to stifle a consistent Panther attack only trailing 5-0 in the opening moments. The Bearcats finally began rolling with a three-pointer by junior Kennidy Garner as Kearney then responded with a score by Kelsey Hatcher, and closing out the quarter with two buckets by Kiara Dutenhoffer. Although it was not the usual scoring suspects, it was enough to give Kearney a 9-5 lead entering the second quarter.
Kelsey Hatcher // KHS GBB // Central NE Press Pass // Courtesy Corbey Dorsey Photography
Kearney could not keep Norfolk away from the foul line in the second quarter however, as the Bearcats shot four free throws to the fifteen Panther charity stripe shots in the first half. Eleven of the thirteen points added by Norfolk in the period were from the free throw line, as Kearney worked the old-fashioned Bearcat way: opening up inside lanes for outside shooting. The three-pointer finally fell from Paige Mailahn knocking in an outside shot, while Maddy Province added four points herself. Haidyn Skeen, Avery Franzen, and Mailahn all added in lay-ins as well, with Mailahn having a reverse lay-up under the bucket for the final score of the half.
Kennidy Garner // KHS GBB // Central NE Press Pass // Courtesy Corbey Dorsey Photography
Kearney led entering halftime up 22-18.
The second half was an impressive defensive stretch for Kearney, controlling the clock and each possession. Outscoring Norfolk 27-13 in the next two quarters, the Bearcats did earn their scoring with inside play set-up by Province and Skeen, but Tatum Rusher was able to take advantage for a three-pointer in the quarter as well.
Kelsey Hatcher // KHS GBB // Central NE Press Pass // Courtesy Corbey Dorsey Photography
Garner and Rusher each added four in the fourth quarter, as the Bearcats blew past Norfolk to earn their ninth win 49-31 at home.
Haidyn Skeen // KHS GBB // Central NE Press Pass // Courtesy Corbey Dorsey Photography
The Bearcats are now 9-7 on the season as they await a long travel weekend next week, playing at Lincoln North Star on Friday night while taking on Omaha Benson in the Metro on Saturday night. Both contests will be on KGFW with pregame times announced next week.
Kearney had contributions against Norfolk from Province with 10 points, Skeen added 8, Rusher and Garner each had 7, Dutenhoffer ended with 6, Mailahn had 5, and Hatcher, Addy Helmbrecht, and Franzen all wrapped with 2 each.
Harley Straka // KHS GBB // Central NE Press Pass // Courtesy Corbey Dorsey Photography
Kelsey Hatcher // KHS GBB // Central NE Press Pass // Courtesy Corbey Dorsey Photography
