What a night of hoops we witnessed on Saturday at the Graff Events Center at Mid-Plains Community College in McCook. We had a total of four games, two consolation games, and two championship games.
By the end of the night, we had a pair of teams that added RPAC Basketball Championship Plaques to their trophy cases for the first time ever.
Let's begin with the consolation games.
The Girls Consolation Game was a rematch from last year as the #2 seed from the East; Alma played the #3 seed from the West; Paxton. Like last season, Alma won, this time they beat the Tigers 48-21. Alma was excellent from the jump and they controlled the game. The Cardinals started on an 11-0 run, leading 15-4 into the second quarter.
In the second period, Alma increased the lead, going up 28-11 at the intermission.
The second half remained the same as after the third quarter. The Cardinals kept pushing forward and increased their lead, 38-15 going to the fourth.
Paxton's effort was there in the game, but Alma had answers to what the Tigers were wanting to do.
In the final period, Alma outscored Paxton, 10-6, to close out the game.
For Alma, Kamryn Scott had 18 points to lead the Cardinals. Vayden Epp had 10, Tierston Moore had eight, and Kamri Neal scored six.
For Paxton, Jaleigh Hanson scored seven, Jakcee Mitchell and Emmalee Nicholson scored four, and Ella Fote had three.
For Alma, this is their third, 3rd-place finish in the RPAC Girls Basketball Tournament.
For Paxton, this is their second 4th-place finish.
We chatted with Miley Whitney of the Cardinals after the game.
In the Boys Consolation Game, it was #2 seed in the East Bertrand versus #4 seed in the West Paxton. Bertrand won the game by a final of 53-38. Bertrand started the game on an 8-0 run and set the tone. In the later stages of the quarter, Paxton was able to weather the storm, and Bertrand led 15-9.
Paxton battled back in the early stages of the second quarter. Bertrand, though, remained in the lead and increased it by two. The scoreboard read 31-23 at the intermission.
In the third quarter, Bertrand's adjustments took over as they were so tough on defense and got the ball to go through the hoop. Bertrand led 48-29 going to the fourth.
The Tigers did outscore the Vikings 9-5 in the final period but could not complete the comeback.
Bertrand had a big game with 18 points from Marcus Hernandez, and Thunder Nelson was big, too, with 16 points. Hunter Nelson scored eight, and Kayden Hatfield scored six. Both Thunder and Hunter Nelson had 10 rebounds, too. Eric Wood had five steals.
Paxton was led by Tanner Hebblethwaite and scored 24; Tristen Hebblethwaite, Noah Coppersmith, Maddex McConnell, and Griffin Prelinger each had three points.
For Bertrand, this is their second 3rd-place finish in the RPAC Tournament. For Paxton, it's their second 4th-place finish.
We visited with Eric Wood of Bertrand after the game.
Check out the Highlights from the Consolation Games!
Now for the Girls RPAC Championship.
We had a pair of top-10 teams in their respective classes. Maywood-Hayes Center was the #1 seed in the West and Southwest, and the #1 seed in the East battled for the right to be the RPAC Champion.
Southwest picked up their first-ever RPAC Championship for the Girls Basketball Program as they beat Maywood-Hayes Center, 61-57.
This game had incredible pace and great scoring as the teams played at a high level.
Southwest did control the opening quarter, going up 17-10 heading to the second. MHC had an excellent surge in the second quarter, and with 5:31 to go in the half, it was 21-17, with Southwest leading. With about 2:30 to go in the half, though, Southwest went on a run and was up by 11, 28-17.
Kesli Cox and Blayklee Farr, though, gave MHC a jolt. They each hit a big three to get it to 28-23 late in the half. At the break, it was 32-25 in favor of Southwest.
In the third, Southwest went up by 12 at one point, but again, the Wolves and their competitive DNA kicked in, and they closed the gap by going on an 8-0 run. Southwest still had the lead, 45-41, going to the fourth period.
In the final quarter, the teams just kept going back and forth. Going to the later stages of the game, this one got tied up as Caylie Softley hit a three and a two-point bucket and made it 57-57 with 30 seconds to go. Kyra Nelms of Southwest, though, countered with a nice layup to make it 59-57.
Southwest was able to get stops and knock down free throws to close out the game.
Maywood-Hayes Center had a pair of players with big games as Karissa Stengel and Caylie Softley each had 19 points. Blayklee Farr had eight, and Reagan Stengel scored six. As a team, they had six three-pointers.
For Southwest, Kyra Nelms scored 18, Aspen Billeter scored 15, and Atleigh Nelms had 13.
For MHC, this is their second runner-up finish in the RPAC Tournament.
For Southwest, as we mentioned, this is their first ever RPAC Title on the basketball court.
After the game, we visited with Anastasia Gallegos about the win for the Roughriders.
In the Boys Championship game, it was #2 seed from the West Dundy County Stratton and #1 seed from the East, Alma. The Cardinals secured their first-ever RPAC Boys Basketball Championship, winning 61-52.
DCS went up 2-0 in the opening quarter, but Alma answered with a 10-0 run to set the tone. Alma took a 12-4 lead going to the second quarter. In the second period, the action picked up, and the teams settled in.
DCS was within six, 21-15, with 3:17 to go in the half. Alma was able to go on a mini 5-2 run, and the Cardinals led 26-17 at the half.
Out of the half, August Shaw hit a three-pointer for the Tigers and cut the deficit down to six. Zavier Mitchell of Alma hit a big three of his own, and that's how the third period went, back and forth. By the time the period ended, it was 43-31, with Alma in the lead.
To start the fourth quarter, the Tigers went on a 5-0 run to cut things down to 43-36. Alma regrouped and maintained the lead and did just enough to keep their distance from Dundy County Stratton.
DCS was led by Lane Bybee, who scored 16 points, and Ethan Latta scored 15. Dante Horner and Breck Horner each had eight.
Alma had 21 from Tucker Biskup and 17 from Zavier Mitchell. Grady Faimon had 10, Titus Epp scored seven, and Isaiah Neal had six.
For DCS, this is their second runner-up finish in the RPAC Tournament.
As we mentioned for Alma, it is their first RPAC Boys Basketball Title.
We chatted with Isaiah Neal and the rest of the Cardinals about the win.
Check out the highlights from the RPAC Championship Games!
Of course, we had our Players of the game brought to you by Farmers National Company - Lori Harding Real Estate Sales.
A great week of hoops was had in the RPAC.
