Plainsmen girls improve to 14–7 with big win over Bayard, OT thriller against Valentine

The Perkins County Plainsmen girls basketball team turned in a strong week on the court, picking up two wins to improve their overall record to 14–7 with victories over Bayard and Valentine.

Bayard

Perkins County opened the week on Tuesday, February 10, hosting Bayard at Bayard High School. The Plainsmen dominated from the opening tip, rolling to a 69–25 win behind balanced scoring and steady defensive pressure.

Ella Homan led the Plainsmen with 14 points, while Madison Potts followed closely with 13 points. Addison York posted a double-double with 11 points and 11 rebounds as Perkins County saw contributions up and down the lineup.

“Our offense was clicking on all cylinders,” said head coach Deanne Bishop. “It was good to have balanced scoring and see so many team members contribute with quality minutes.”

Valentine

The Plainsmen were back in action on Friday, February 13, facing Valentine at North Platte Community College. In a tightly contested matchup, Perkins County outlasted Valentine 54–52 in overtime.

Valentine took an early 9–6 lead after the first quarter, but the Plainsmen responded in the second, outscoring Valentine 13–11 to narrow the gap. Perkins County continued to chip away in the third quarter with a 16–14 scoring edge, and the teams traded baskets in the fourth as the Plainsmen scored 13 points to Valentine’s 10, forcing overtime. In the extra period, Perkins County came up with key plays down the stretch, outscoring Valentine 10–8 to secure the win.

Potts led all scorers with 21 points. On the glass, Homan, Lauren Bishop, and Jacqueline Gloy each pulled down seven rebounds, while York led the team with nine rebounds.

“Valentine beat us by 21 points in the subdistrict finals last year and returned nearly their entire lineup,” Bishop said. “They also won the girls side of this year’s SPVA Conference Tournament, so we knew we had our work cut out for us. In the end, a key factor in our overtime win was rebounding. We outrebounded Valentine 53–37 and limited their second-chance opportunities. We also had players hit some key free throws and shots at significant moments. Kudos to our players for maintaining their composure, attacking the rim, and looking for open teammates.”

Next Action

The Plainsmen will next compete in subdistrict play on February 17 at Valentine High School.

These results will appear in the next edition of the Grant Tribune Sentinel.