WP basketball adds win at Sutherland

    In a season where wins have been tough to come by, the Wauneta-Palisade boys’ basketball team got a much needed victory over Sutherland (1-15) Friday.
    A big first quarter made the difference in the game for the Broncos. Grant Walker made WP’s first five points in the contest.
    Kyle Jutten, Aidan Kennicutt and Robert Hanna added buckets before Walker added another field goal to give WP a 13-7 lead at the end of the first quarter.
    Sutherland cut into that advantage in the second quarter. The Broncos’ only points came on 3-10 free throw shooting, while the Sailors made three field goals.
    WP’s 16-13 lead shrunk a little more in the third quarter. Hanna scored all seven of the Broncos’ points in the quarter, but Sutherland only scored eight.
    With WP leading 23-21, each team matched the other’s efforts in the fourth quarter.
    The Broncos only made two field goals, one each from Hanna and Kennicutt, but Malcolm and Hanna combined to make  enough free throws, 6-14, to give WP a 33-31 win.
    Hanna finished with 15 points to lead WP.
    The Broncos had hosted Medicine Valley (16-2) the night before. The Raiders are third in the Class D2 point standings and seventh in the Omaha World-Herald ratings.
    As has been a common theme throughout the season, WP struggled on offense in the first quarter. The Broncos only scored two points, a basket by Walker, in the first quarter. Michael Duvel came off the bench to hit a three pointer in the second quarter and Jacksen Littrel added a free throw. WP trailed 6-39 at halftime.
    Walker scored all five of WP’s third quarter points, making a three-point field goal and a two-point bucket.
    Walker added two to his team-high total of nine points in the fourth quarter. Hanna and Grayden Sutherland also made baskets for WP in the 17-58 loss.
Up next
    The Broncos hosted Rawlins County, Kansas Tuesday. Friday WP travels to Maywood/Hayes Center (13-8). The regular season will end Feb. 18 at Arthur County (8-9).
    Subdistricts will be Feb. 21, 22 and 24 at the site of the highest seed, so a trip to Benkelman for games at Dundy County Stratton is most likely in the Broncos’ future.
    DCS is currently second in the point standings and hosted top seeded North Platte St. Pat’s Tuesday.
Class D1 Point Standings as of Feb. 7:—1. North Platte St. Patrick’s (17-2), 45.8947; 2. Dundy County Stratton (18-2), 45.7500; 3. Ainsworth (13-7), 44.7000; 4. Loomis (16-4), 43.9000; 5. Burwell (18-3), 43.6190; 6. Elgin Public/Pope John (16-4), 43.5500; 7. Lourdes Central Catholic (11-7), 43.3889; 8. Walthill (13-5), 43.2222; 9. Leyton (15-3), 43.0556; 10. Mead (12-8), 43.0000; 11. Cambridge (13-6), 42.7895; 13. Maywood-Hayes Center (13-8), 42.7143; 44. Southwest (5-13), 38.2222; 52. Wauneta-Palisade (3-16), 37.3684. Subdistrict D1-11 in bold.