Terry Douglass, Central Nebraska Today
GRAND ISLAND — Papillion-La Vista overcame Grand Island’s red-hot start to rally for a 69-59 road victory Saturday night in boys prep basketball action.
Demarcus McCarthy scored a game-high 23 points and Brock Rahl added 15 points for the Monarchs, who erased a first-half deficit by outscoring the Islanders 22-7 in the third quarter.
The momentum shift started late in the second quarter as Grand Island led 38-25 with 59.2 seconds left when a two-shot foul, a technical foul on the Islanders’ bench and a basket resulted in what was essentially a six-point possession for Papillion-La Vista. That was the start of a 27-4 scoring run for the Monarchs.
Mukadi Mukoma scored 21 points and Babur Choul finished with 17 to lead the Islanders (1-3), who were coming off a 70-53 loss Friday night at Lincoln Southwest. Grand Island made seven 3-pointers in the first half, including four by Choul, to stretch its lead to 15 points in the second quarter.
The Islanders were scoreless beyond the arc in the third quarter and had just two more treys the rest of the way. Mukoma scored 11 fourth-quarter points for Grand Island, which cut its deficit to 60-55 with 4:19 to play, but Papillion-La Vista took control down the stretch to seal the win.
Grand Island returns to action next Friday when it hosts Lincoln Southeast.
Papillion-La Vista 69, Grand Island 59
Papillion-La Vista (2-2)
11
20
22
16—69
Grand Island (1-3)
21
17
7
14—59
PAPILLION-LA VISTA—Cedric Williams 9, Demarcus McCarty 23, Trey Richardson 6, Tyler McDade 3, Brock Rahl 15, Kale Johnson 2, Eric Ingwerson 8, Garin Maley 3.
GRAND ISLAND—Mukadi Mukoma 21, Babur Choul 17, John Karnouls 8, Bode Albers 5, Evan McDonald 6, Reid Kelly 2.
GIRLS
Papillion-La Vista 71, Grand Island 20
GRAND ISLAND — Leading 16-4 after the first quarter, Papillion-La Vista used a 32-4 blitz to take a 48-8 halftime lead and roll to a 71-20 road victory at Grand Island.
Rease Murtaugh scored 22 points to lead the Monarchs, who improved to 3-1 on the season. Dru Zoucha added 13 points for Papillion-La Vista, which put nine players in the scoring column.
Nyaruot Wal scored six points for the Islanders (0-4).
Papillion-La Vista 71, Grand Island 20
Papillion-La Vista (3-1)
16
32
12
11—71
Grand Island (0-4)
4
4
6
6—20
PAPILLION-LA VISTA—Rease Murtaugh 22, Jen Hubert 2, Gracie Suppes 5, Kamira Botos 9, Taliyah Jackson 8, Jayda Richardson 5, Grace Reyes 4, Dru Zoucha 13, Corryn Estelle 3.
GRAND ISLAND—Nyaruot Wal 6, Lilly Goodwin 4, Elli Ward 2, Lidia Yusif 2, Aysha Gawrych 4, Emmy Ward 2.
