Lady Plainsmen earn two more wins
BY EMMALEE PARSLEY STEVENS
GRANT TRIBUNE SENTINEL
The Perkins County girls basketball team put together a strong week with back-to-back wins over Haxtun and Kimball, showcasing balanced scoring, rebounding and defensive pressure.
The Plainsmen opened play Dec. 9 with a 57-41 road victory over the Haxtun Bulldogs. Perkins County overcame an early adjustment period and pulled away late behind team-oriented execution on both ends of the floor.
Junior Lauren Bishop led the Plainsmen with 19 points and added 11 rebounds. Sophomore Addison York also recorded a double-digit rebounding effort with 11 boards. Junior Ella Homan dished out seven assists, while junior Madison Potts finished with five steals.
“Early in the game, it seemed we had a tough time getting a handle on the ball,” head coach Deanne Bishop said. “Nebraska plays with a Baden, but the feel and performance of Colorado’s Wilson basketballs was just different enough that it seemed to trip us up a bit. Haxtun had a number of nice runs, but our girls were able to answer them. In the fourth quarter, our girls did a great job executing our man-to-man offensive sets for some nice looks. Credit goes to the passers and those on the receiving end. They worked well together as a team.”
Perkins County followed up with a 52-39 home win over the Kimball Longhorns on Dec. 12. The Plainsmen jumped out to an early lead, outscoring Kimball 16-8 in the first quarter. Perkins County continued to build its advantage in the second quarter, 11-7, before maintaining control through the second half. The Plainsmen held a 15-11 edge in the third quarter and closed the game with a 10-13 fourth quarter.
Homan led Perkins County with 13 points. York dominated the boards with 13 rebounds and added three assists. Potts contributed three steals as the Plainsmen limited Kimball’s second-chance opportunities.
“We often talk about playing for four, full quarters,” Bishop said. “I felt that, for the most part, we did that this game. Kimball returned plenty of players and firepower this season, but our quick start seemed to take the wind out of their sails. We rebounded well and limited their second-chance opportunities. We had a balanced offensive attack.”
The Plainsmen are scheduled to host the Paxton Tigers on Dec. 16, with results to appear in the next edition of the Grant Tribune. Perkins County will then host the Dundy County Stratton Tigers on Dec. 19 at Perkins County High School. Junior varsity action will begin at 4 p.m., followed by the varsity girls game at 5:30 p.m.