Friday night’s Y102 Area Game of the Week saw the Ness City Eagles and the Victoria Knights matchup in a Central Prairie League showdown. In the girls game it looked as though the Ness City lady Eagles would put an end to their seven game losing streak.
The Eagles jumped out to and 8-5 lead in the first quarter behind four from both Kenzie Stoeklein and Ashleigh Seib, and they led 12-11 after the first quarter. Victoria opened the second quarter on a 4-0 run, behind Audra Novak who scored 9 of her 20 points in the first half, and the Knights led 15-12. But Ness City answered with a 6-0 run of their own taking the lead 21-19 heading into the half. Ness City lead was seven after three quarters.
Into the fourth quarter Victoria went back to Nowak inside and closed the gap to 32-30. Ness City led by 5, 40-35 with just over two minutes let to play in the game but the lady Knights turned up the defense pressure and closed the game on a 7-0 run in the closing minutes. Kristin Huser knocked down a three to cut the lead to two and on the very next possession Audra Nowak tied the game at 40 with her 20th point of the night. Then Huser forced a turnover and took it the length of the floor and laid it home with 7.4 seconds left. Out of a timeout Huser stole the inbounds pass and sealed the 42-40 win for the Knights.
Audra Nowak led all scorers with 20 points and Huser finished with 8. Ashleigh Seib had a game-high 10 for Ness City and Erin Flax chipped in 9. Victoria improved to 13-6 while the Eagles dropped to 5-13.
In the boys matchup the Victoria Knights gave the Ness City Eagles all the wanted and even a little more but they fell short tonight 59-46. Victoria took a 4-3 early in the first quarter and that would be their only lead of the game. The first three shots Ness City made were 3-pointers and you get the feeling it could be that kind of night. Dalton Gantz knocked home the first two and Drew Clarke added one more in the opening quarter as Ness City led 13-4 after one.
The Eagles lead was as much as 11 early in the second quarter before that Knights went on a 7-0 run to cut the lead to four but Koltyn Ratliff hit a three to extend the lead back to seven. Ness City led by five at halftime. The two teams traded baskets to begin the third quarter and Victoria got within three once and four a couple of times but trailed by nine after three.
Ness City closed out the third and begin the fourth quarter on a 9-0 run and came away with the 59-46 win. Ness City Colin Foos had 14 of his game-high 18 in the second half. Dalton Gantz and Drew Clarke both finished with 16 points. Sam Ottley scored 11 of his team-high 13 points for the Knights and Lane Braun added 10.
Ness City improves to 15-3 and the Knights fall to 8-11. The Knights are off until the 24th when they host Lincoln and the Eagles will host Dighton on Tuesday.
Girls Highlights
GOTW Girls Highlights 2-17
Boys Highlights
GOTW Boys Highlights 2-17