Terry Douglass, Central Nebraska Today
HASTINGS — In the first boys basketball meeting between two longtime Tri-Cities rivals since 2020, Grand Island came away with a 50-39 victory over Hastings Saturday night in the Heartland Holiday Hoops Classic at Hastings College’s Lynn Farrell Arena.
Islanders’ guard Mukadi Mukoma followed his 22-point scoring performance on Friday in a home loss to Lincoln Southeast with another big night. The 6-foot-6 senior scored a game-high 29 points and grabbed nine rebounds for Grand Island (2-4).
Mukoma, who was 9 of 17 shooting from the floor including a 5-of-13 performance from 3-point range, had 18 first-half points. He scored 12 points in the second quarter as Grand Island overcame a 17-12 first-quarter deficit to lead 27-25 at halftime.
With Hastings leading 23-18, Mukoma scored all of the Islanders’ points in a 9-2 run to close the first half. The Tigers tied the score at 30-30 midway through the third quarter before Grand Island reeled off nine straight points to pull ahead 39-30 on a Reid Kelly free throw.
Evan McDonald finished with eight points, four rebounds and four assists for the Islanders, who outrebounded the Tigers 25-16. Teammate Babur Choul also scored eight for Grand Island, which was 12 of 16 from the free-throw line, outscoring Hastings 12-2 at the charity stripe.
Caden Block scored eight of his team-high 12 points for Hastings in the first quarter and also had six rebounds. Parker Alblott added eight points for the Tigers (3-2).
Hastings was 7 of 14 shooting in the first quarter and forced seven Grand Island turnovers to take a 17-12 lead at the first break. However, the Tigers shot 34.5% (10 of 29) and committed 14 turnovers in the final three quarters.
A 3-pointer by Ablott cut Grand Island’s lead to 42-39 with 2:18 to play. The Islanders answered with an 8-0 run, sparked by inside baskets from Choul and McDonald. GISH was 8 of 12 from the free-throw line in the fourth quarter.
Grand Island 50, Hastings 39
Grand Island (2-4)
12
15
9
14—50
Hastings (3-2)
17
8
5
9—39
GRAND ISLAND—Cohen Nelson 4, Mukadi Mukoma 29, Babur Choul 8, Evan McDonald 8, Reid Kelly 1.
HASTINGS—Eli Schneider 3, Landon Hinrichs 7, Parker Ablott 8, Caden Block 12, Brayden Power 6, Tethloach Duang 3.
