Paige Mailahn, KHS GBB @ Grand Island // Mitchell Brandt
GRAND ISLAND – The Kearney girls were without their leading scorer on the season but worked in multiple line-ups and rotations, easing past winless Grand Island 62-55 on Thursday night. Click here to listen to the broadcast replay.
Kearney entered having taken down western rival North Platte to begin the week on Tuesday, but ultimately lost Kelsey Hatcher – the Bearcats leading scorer on the season – to an injury near the final stretch of the contest to the Bulldogs. Kearney would aim to find their new offensive scorer, while also continuing to search for a defensive stopper.
Harley Straka, KHS GBB @ Grand Island // Mitchell Brandt
The Islanders were down on their luck in a different way, having dropped 33 straight contests entering the matchup Thursday night. Grand Island had lost their first eight games of the season coming into the rivalry contest.
Kearney busted open a 9-0 lead to start the contest, having four different contributors in the opening two minutes of action. The Bearcats foiled any offensive plans by the Islanders in the starting stretch, as Kearney’s defense created multiple turnovers that led to the early advantage. Kennidy Garner and Paige Mailahn each hit a triple in the first quarter, while Libby Province received her first varsity start and did not disappoint putting up six first period points. The Bearcats would lead 22-7 into the second quarter.
Kearney would again out-pace the Islanders by a significant margin in the second quarter, having seven different players score and posting a 20-4 advantage in the eight minutes. The Bearcats would lead at halftime 42-11.
Libby Province, KHS GBB @ Grand Island // Mitchell Brandt
Various rotations would be utilized by Kearney in the second half after they earned the forty-point run rule time, closing the game out with a 62-25 victory at Grand Island Senior High.
The Bearcats (6-4) earned their second straight win to start the new year and aim to make it three in a row facing a Top Five rated Class B program in Beatrice on Saturday night as part of the Girls Basketball Showcase at Kearney High School. Tip-off is set for 8:30 PM with KGFW’s pregame at 8:15 PM.
Grand Island falls to 0-9 and will travel to Lincoln Northeast Friday night.
UNOFFICAL KGFW SCORING TOTALS:
Kearney: Mailahn (12 points), Harley Straka (11), Garner (9), Province (8), Helmbrecht (6), Addie Snyder (5), Sophie Glandt (4), Avery Franzen (3), Josie Murray (2), Alaina Jasnoch (2).
Grand Island: Lidia Yusif (12 points), Lilly Goodwin (5), Nyaruot Wal (4), Aysha Gawrych (2), Elli Ward (2).
