CCS boys finish fourth at SPVA

The Chase County boys’ basketball team suffered two disappointing losses to end last week’s SPVA tournament.
The Longhorns played Hershey in the semifinal Thursday.
Hershey started the game with a seven point run and never looked back.
Mason Nordhausen scored eight of the Longhorns’ first 10 points, but Hershey put on the clamps and Nordhausen only made two free throws after the 6:25 mark of the second quarter.
CCS closed the third quarter with an 8-3 run and, behind six points from Cedric Maxwell, outscored Hershey 13-6 in the fourth quarter of the 35-55 loss.
The Panthers had an eFG percentage of 58%, while CCS struggled, making 3-29 three pointers and finishing with an eFG percentage of 28.4%.
Maxwell led CCS with 12 points and Nordhausen added 10 points. Each had three assists. Nordhausen had a team high six rebounds.
Saturday’s third place game slipped away from the Longhorns. CCS lost 43-57 Dec. 22 to Bridgeport, but was in control through most of Saturday’s game.
Nordhausen got off to a hot start, scoring the Longhorns’ first eight points. A Clay Meeske three pointer and two pointer by Maxwell gave CCS a 13-7 lead at the end of the first quarter.
Meeske scored at the five minute mark of the second quarter before Nordhausen took over, scoring Chase County’s final nine points of the half. CCS held the Bulldogs to three free throws over the final 4:50 on the half and led 25-15 at halftime.
CCS increased that lead to 31-17 in the third quarter. Despite Kade Anderson scoring six points in the quarter, Bridgeport cut the lead to seven points, 35-28, with an 11-4 run over the final 5:24 of the third.
Meeske made a three to push the lead back to 10 points early in the fourth quarter.
Over the next two minutes Bridgeport made two baskets, but the teams went to the charity stripe often. The Longhorns made one of two free throws, while Bridgeport made five of six at the line. A Bulldog layup tied the game at 39 with 3:50 left.
Tysen Lempke made two free throws and Nordhausen one around a Bridgeport three pointer.
Anderson answered two Bulldog free throws with a layup to keep the game tied.
Meeske made one free throw with 54.4 seconds left to give CCS a 45-44 lead.
Bridgeport made a driving basket with 31 seconds left to take the lead and hit one free throw with 0.1 on the clock to finish off the Longhorns 45-47.
CCS Head Coach Chris Bartles said CCS rebounded a lot better this time around against Bridgeport, but other than that, didn’t do a whole lot different.
He did acknowledge free throws made a huge difference in that game. CCS made seven of 16 from the charity stripe, while Bridgeport hit 17-22.
“Oftentimes, the result in a basketball game comes down to who makes more free throws and layups, and Bridgeport won both of those areas,” Bartels said.
“It’s definitely frustrating to let a game slip away like that, but if we can use this as a learning experience and get better from it, we will be better off in the long run.”

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