Longhorn girls battle state’s best in 2022-23

    The Chase County girls’ basketball team finished the season with a 14-9 record.
    Of those nine losses, three came to the state’s only remaining unbeaten team, Bridgeport, while Sidney, Gothenburg and Southern Valley also handed the Longhorns losses on their way to state tournament’s berths.
    Chase County’s only out-of-state opponent, Wray, Colorado, has shaken off a loss to CCS and advanced to its state tournament, as well.
    The Longhorns’ only other losses, besides a forfeit to Gordon-Rushville due to the weather, were early in the season to Ogallala and a loss to North Platte St. Pat’s that Chase County later avenged.
    Looking back over the season, Head Coach Alex McNair said the postseason was a highlight of the year.
    “We handled a solid Hershey team on night one and felt we gave Bridgeport the best shot they had seen all year,” he said.
    CCS was led by seniors Joee Clevenger, Ali McNair, Liz Reeves and Bryn McNair.
    Head Coach Alex McNair said he’s very happy with the way the seniors stepped up and competed this year.
    “They were playing some great all-around ball at the end of the season,” McNair said.
    Each senior played in all 22 games.
    McNair said Clevenger was a very versatile player having to defend both guards and forwards all year.
    “She did a great job of handling the basketball and knocked some big shots down,” he said.
    He gave credit to A. McNair for being one of the Longhorns’ better guard defenders this year.
    “She did a great job heckling some good guards all year. She also did a great job of looking to score towards the end of the season,” McNair said.
    Reeves also took a role in handling the ball and McNair said she was also great on offense and defense this year.
    “I’m really happy with the way she stepped up and got us into our offenses each night. Her shooting really improved as the year moved along,” McNair said.     B. McNair averaged a double-double through the season, 22.9 points per game and 11.8 rebounds, as well as team highs in assist, 42, steals, 66, and blocks, 34, while setting the career points, 1,680, and rebounding, 867, records along the way.
    “Bryn had another solid year on both sides of the ball. She did a great job of being versatile and playing every position at time throughout the season,” McNair said.
    “I’m proud of the way these seniors showed up every day. Attitude and effort were not a problem for this group,” he added.
    Sophomores Olivia Spady and Landree McNair also played in all 22 games and  scored over 100 points during the season. Spady averaged 6.5 ppg and L. McNair averaged 5.2.
    The pair also were second and third in rebounds, with L. McNair averaging 5.5 rebounds per game and Spady 3.7 rpg.
    Overall, McNair said defense and rebounding were some of the Longhorns’ biggest strengths this year.