LINCOLN – The Kearney Bearcats found a way to out-grit Lincoln North Star in a gusty performance from Jack Dahlgren to earn their first win of the season in Lincoln 56-51 Friday night. Click here to listen to the broadcast replay.
The Bearcats were coming off a win over Norfolk the week prior looking to begin a tough stretch of contests ahead in the regular season. Lincoln North Star was becoming well-known for being heartbreakers in the capital city, having won four games by four points or less in the season.
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Both teams had seen each other in the season before during the HAC Consolation contest of the holiday tournament back in December. Lincoln North Star edged Kearney 65-50 in the first contest.
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Kearney started the contest much as they did their previous matchup: a hot start in the opening quarter. Starting the opening eight minutes with a 21-8 lead, Kearney followed the lead of their leading scorer Dahlgren who wrapped the first quarter with 10 points including two three pointers. Karter Lee added his own three in the first while Ben Johnson connected for six points in the first as well. A quiet first quarter start prevented North Star from staying within reach, as the Bearcats took their thirteen point lead heading into the second quarter.
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A slow march back into the contest began in the second quarter as KG Gatwech added eight points in the second with other scoring coming tougher in the proceeding eight minutes. Jack Dahlgren scored all the points for the Bearcats in the quarter with seven. Entering halftime, Kearney led 28-18.
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In the third quarter, Kearney’s lead continued to dwindle as North Star outpaced the Bearcats 18-13. Dahlgren continued his scoring streak with five more points while Treyven Beckman entered the scoring with eight points. The story of the second half was Lazerek Houston as the sophomore for the Gators had 12 points in the third and carried his hot streak in to the fourth as Kearney led 41-36.
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A heart-stopping eight minutes continued as Kearney’s offensive march was matched by North Star with both teams scoring 15 points in the quarter. Houston added eight more points and Ben Johnson of Kearney rose to the late game heroics, knocking in two three points including one with less than a minute to play to seal the game and close out the Navigators for the 55-51 win on the road.
The win improves Kearney’s mark to 12-4 on the season as the Bearcats had contributions from Dahlgren with 26 points – a career high for the senior, 16 from Johnson, Beckman ended with 8, Lee had 5, and Asher Endorf wrapped with 2.
The Bearcats travel to Omaha Benson Saturday afternoon.
