Lady Broncos runners-up at Cattle Trail Tourney

The Wauneta-Palisade Lady Broncos had high expectations heading into last week’s Cattle Trail Tournament in McCook. WP picked up two close wins, but fell just short of the tournament championship.
WP Head Coach Matt Cox said his team had a great week of basketball.
The Broncos opened the tournament Dec. 8 with a back and forth win over Medicine Valley (4-1).
Wauneta-Palisade’s offense was humming in the game’s opening quarter. Four Broncos scored in the first four minutes of the contest as WP jumped out to an 11-2 lead before MV closed the gap to 15-9. Haylee Sandman rattled in eight points for the Broncos.
After a Cali Cox three pointer to open the second quarter, the Raiders nibbled away at the Bronco advantage. WP fell behind 18-20 with three minutes left in the half. Five-straight points from freshman GraCee Goings righted the Broncos’ ship and WP went into the locker room with a 24-22 lead.
The game remained close in the second half.
A three pointer by the Raiders gave MV a 31-34 lead, but Payton Yearous immediately answered with one for WP to tie the game and C. Cox added another three pointer to give WP a 37-34 advantage heading into the fourth quarter.
The Raiders opened the fourth with a three pointer to tie the game. The Broncos responded. Two free throws by Yearous gave WP a lead it wouldn’t give up even though the game went down to the wire.
With the score 43-42 and 5.6 seconds on the clock, C. Cox then Alexa Sandman each made 2-2 free throw attempts to seal the 47-42 win.
H. Sandman led WP with 13 points. C. Cox added eight points and Goings and Yearous chipped in seven points apiece. More Broncos made three pointers—five—than two point field goals at four.
Yearous, C. Cox and A. Sandman combined to finish 8-8 on free throws.
Peyton Cox grabbed 10 rebounds for WP. Zoey Boos had four assists, two steals and no turnovers.
The win moved WP into a semifinal match up against 2-2 Dundy County-Stratton Friday.
Coach Cox called the game a foul fest.
“It was sloppy play, which you get early in the year,” he said, adding that he wasn’t happy with WP’s offensive flow against the Tigers’ man to man defense.
“But we shot really well from the free throw line, which kept us in control of the game,” he said.

To read more go to: https://etypeservices.com/Imperial%20RepublicanID359/