Diane Stamm | Johnson Publications
Braxton McKinney drives to the hoop in Wauneta-Palisade’s home opener against Cambridge.
WP boys looking for first win
With many new faces seen on the court, the Wauneta-Palisade Broncos lost its first two games of the season last week.
Despite the losses, WP Head Coach Rod Gaston said he liked the intensity and effort his team played with.
“Getting the game experience helped because there are a lot of things we cannot simulate in practice,” Gaston said.
“Height, quickness and skills are different in games than in practice so these 1st two games did our guys a lot of good. We have a lot of skill work to learn, but great hustle can make us better until these skills are better,” he added.
The Broncos opened the season last Thursday at Wallace.
The Wildcats held WP to four first quarter points. Returning starters Braxton McKinney and Garrett Hanna each made a field goal for the Broncos.
Gaston said scoring can be difficult for some of the Broncos, and will be a continuing process.
“Some of the guys shoot better in practice than they showed in the games. A little more game experience and that will get better too,” Gaston said.
McKinney and Hanna powered the Bronco offense in the second and third quarters, combining to score 24 points.
In the end, the pair combined for 33 of WP’s 41 points, with McKinney totaling 20 points. McKinney also had a team-high seven rebounds in the 41-61 loss.
Friday the Broncos hosted Cambridge. WP trailed 4-7 at the end of the low scoring first quarter and 9-17 at halftime.
Baskets were hard to come by in the third quarter, as well. The Broncos were behind 12-37 entering the fourth quarter before doubling their point total over the game’s final eight minutes.
Grant Walker and Laiden Lawler tossed in fourth quarter 3’s, while Ruel Malcolm also added a field goal in the 24-50 loss.
Hanna led WP in scoring with eight points. Walker chipped in six points. McKinney had a team-high seven rebounds.
Despite the losses, Gaston said his team has some good athletes on the court.
“That will be key for our athletes to provide the effort
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