Broncos end regular season with win, advance in subs

    The Wauneta-Palisade boys’ basketball team has won four of its last five games, including a Monday night win in the D1-11 subdistrict.
    The Broncos avenged a Jan. 8 loss to Southwest (5-17) with a 42-41 win Monday night in Benkelman.
    Both teams got off to good offensive starts. Robert Hanna and Aidan Kennicutt combined to score nine of WP’s first 12 points. The Broncos made 4-5 free throws in the quarter, as well, but WP couldn’t match three first quarter 3s by the Roughriders. Wauneta-Palisade trailed 12-15 heading into the second quarter.
    Both teams’ offensive output slowed in the second quarter. Each team only made two field goals, with the Broncos’ baskets coming from Michael Duvel and Jacksen Littrel. WP made 2-4 free throws before halftime compared to 1-3 for Southwest, leaving the Broncos trailing 18-20 at the half.
    With four points by Duvel and baskets by Ruel Malcolm, Hanna and Kennicutt, WP overtook Southwest in the third quarter and carried a 28-27 lead into the final stanza.
    The Broncos shook off two three pointers by the Roughriders with a six point effort from Hanna. Duvel knocked down a field goal, as did Grant Walker. Walker went 4-4 from the charity stripe in the fourth quarter to seal the 42-41 win.
    Hanna led the Broncos with 12 points. Duvel finished with eight points and Walker scored seven points.
Arthur County
    The Broncos ended their regular season with a road trip to Arthur County (8-12) last Friday.
    Wauneta-Palisade jumped on the hosts early, taking a 13-6 lead by the end of the first quarter. Malcolm scored WP’s first four points of the game, followed by a three pointer by Laiden Lawler. Kennicutt added back-to-back buckets to the Broncos’ total and Hanna rounded out the first quarter with a two point field goal.
    WP’s lead increased in the second quarter. Littrel came off the bench to score six points. Hanna made two field goals and two free throws to match Littrel. Baskets by Kennicutt and Walker pushed the Broncos’ lead to 29-17 at halftime.
    Wauneta-Palisade continued to add to its lead after the half as five players scored in the third quarter. Duvel scored four points, to go with baskets by Littrel, Kyle Jutten and Hanna.
    Despite a 40-24 lead, WP fans were on the edges of their seats as the fourth quarter wore on.
    The Broncos didn’t make a field goal over the game’s final eight minutes and combined to go 5-25 at the charity stripe. At the other end of the court, the Wolves found a new gear. Arthur County made five field goals and 6-11 free throws. Their efforts weren’t enough and the Broncos held on for a 45-40 win.
    Hanna led WP with 13 points. Littrel scored eight points.
Up next
    Monday’s win gave WP the right to take on top-seeded Dundy County Stratton Tuesday. DCS is second in the point standings.
    Maywood/Hayes Center, seeded second with a 16-8 record, took on Cambridge, third seeded and 16-7, in the other half of the subdistrict.
    Winners of Tuesday’s games will play Thursday at 6 p.m. in Benkelman.