Ben Johnson, Kearney High Boys Basketball @ Omaha Westview 2024 // Mitchell Brandt
OMAHA – The Kearney Boys Basketball team responded to repeated adversity set by Omaha Westview on Monday night, taking care of business in the final quarter to surge past the Wolverines 51-42 on the road. Click here to listen to the broadcast replay.
Kearney was on a winning streak entering Monday’s road-tilt, as the Bearcats had jumped back into the Top Ten rating after back-to-back weekend wins over Omaha Bryan and Lincoln Northeast on Friday and Saturday. However, the visitors had a three-hour trek to northwest Omaha on Monday night – their third game in four days – and had to contend with an upstart Omaha Westview program that appeared on the cusp of an upset.
The back-and-forth began early as each team traded blows early in the contest with Kearney responding quickly with their trio of scorers: Jacob Webber had a three pointer, Asher Endorf worked his inside game for four points, and Ben Johnson led the way with six points in various positions. However, the balance by Westview kept them in the contest as five different Wolverines – led by junior Tayvin Murphy’s four first quarter points – kept the home squad in line trailing by three at the end of the quarter.
Asher Endorf, Kearney High Boys Basketball @ Omaha Westview 2024 // Mitchell Brandt
Defense stepped up on both sides in the second quarter, a defining trait throughout the rest of the contest. Neither team was able to pull away early as both sides struggled to gain footing on multiple rotations by each side. Karter Lee joined the scoring for Kearney, hitting a transition lay-up with a foul to make a three-point play. Jacob Hansen and Ian Piper provided valuable minutes for Kearney as Colt Straka picked up his third foul in the quarter, while Westview continued to rely on their steady hands of Murphy and point guard John Sims. Sims hit the first outside shot of the night for the home team, as the triple was the difference maker in the quarter entering halftime. Both teams were locked in at 23 at the half.
Kearney’s advantage wilted away in the third, as Westview opened up the third quarter putting up consecutive buckets to go by four, then extended that lead before Kearney broke the thirty-point threshold. Webber was held to a single point in the third period, as scoring proved difficult to the long and lengthy Wolverines. Johnson and Endorf would crash ahead for a combined nine points, as Johnson would add a three pointer as well. However, Westview – for the second consecutive quarter – would win the battle taking a 14-10 advantage to push ahead 37-33 entering the fourth quarter.
Ben Johnson, Kearney High Boys Basketball @ Omaha Westview 2024 // Mitchell Brandt
The Bearcats remained steadfast in their approach, and spat out Westview on each defensive possession for seven and a half minutes of game time. Kearney would only allow a single bucket to drop prior to the final minute of the game while also adding in a barrage of scoring in the opening three minutes of the final frame by Johnson, Webber, and Endorf. On an 8-0 run to start the quarter, Kearney continued to pile on the lead following a Wolverine timeout. Murphy would hit a late three-pointer in the final thirty seconds with the game out of reach, as the Bearcats would earn the 51-42 win on the road.
Kearney (13-5) now takes a break through the week until a rematch of the Heartland Athletic Conference Semifinal on Friday night, hosting Lincoln Southeast.
UNOFFICIAL KGFW SCORING TOTALS:
Kearney: Johnson (20 points), Webber (14), Endorf (12), Lee (3), Straka (2)
Omaha Westview: Murphy (13 points), Sims (10), Kobe Mapp (4), Elijah Wilborn (2), Trey Griggs (2).
Kearney High Boys Basketball @ Omaha Westview 2024 // Mitchell Brandt
