WP splits games at Arapahoe tournament

    The Arapahoe Holiday Tournament was pushed back one day after snow moved through southwest Nebraska, but teams took to the courts Friday and Saturday for the final games of 2022.
    It may not have been pretty, but the Wauneta-Palisade girls’ basketball team claimed an opening round win over Arapahoe.
    “We played a pretty sloppy game from beginning to end,” Head Coach Matt Cox said.
    WP wasted little time getting back in the swing of things. GraCee Goings and Cali Cox each hit two 3s in the first quarter. Five players scored and the Broncos went 4-4 from the charity stripe as WP opened up a 22-12 lead.
    It’s lead was cut into by two in the second quarter, but WP still put 15 points on the board. C. Cox added another three pointer and the Broncos remained perfect from the free throw line by hitting 4-4 in the second quarter.
    The Broncos’ two juniors powered the WP offense in the second half.
    Peyton Cox steadily added to her game-high 21 points throughout the second half. P. Cox made 7-8 free throws in the game and pulled down 17 rebounds.
    Goings continued her strong offensive performance in the second half, as well, hitting a three pointer in both the third and fourth quarters.
    WP’s lead held steady in the third quarter behind 10 points from P. Cox and Goings.
    Goings and C. Cox finished with 18 and 17 points, respectively, in the 60-54 win.
    While the Broncos put 60 points on the board, Cox didn’t like WP’s offensive focus and thought his team had way too many turnovers.
    “Give Arapahoe credit for their defensive game play. They really stretched us out and kept us a long way from the basket. It is nice to get back in the gym after the long break,” Cox said, adding he  expected a pretty big challenge in the next round of this tourney against North Platte St. Pat’s.
    St. Pat’s beat Blue Hill 48-36 in their first round game.
    WP spotted the Irish 10 points before getting on the board with a free throw. The Broncos’ first basket came with 2:30 in the first quarter and left WP trailing 3-12. With a minute left in the quarter the Broncos cut the lead to 7-15, but the Irish scored the quarter’s final three points to leave WP trailing by 7-18 going into the second quarter.
    P. Cox scored nine of the Broncos’ 11 points in the second quarter when NPSP increased its lead. WP trailed 18-28 at halftime.
    “We got off to a really slow start. Outscored in the first half 38-18 and it created a hole too big to dig our way out of,” Cox said.
    The Broncos gave NPSP everything it wanted in the second half.
    “We played a lot more focused with more defensive intensity in the second half,” Cox said.
    After only three players scored in the first half, WP got more players in the scoring column in the second half. P. Cox, Goings and C. Cox each scored at least four points in the third quarter. While the Broncos only cut their deficit by one, they were able to build momentum heading into the fourth quarter.
    WP’s defensive pressure kept the Irish off balance late in the game. Goings got herself to the rim and was able to convert two conventional three point plays. C. Cox hit two buckets and was 2-2 from the charity stripe, while P. Cox made two baskets. NPSP’s lead dwindled from 19 at the start of the fourth to 11 with 3:14 left in the game. The Irish made five-straight free throws as the game wore on and with one minute left in the game, the Broncos had pulled to within eight points, 53-61. With time running out, NPSP got loose behind the Broncos’ press for two late baskets sending WP home with a 53-66 loss.
    “We cut it to single digits late in the fourth but we just couldn’t get over the hump. We’ll get a good solid week of practice in next week and it’ll be nice to get back into a routine,” Cox said.
    P. Cox had another double double, 21 points and 13 rebounds.
    Goings finished with 16 points and C. Cox totaled 10 points.
    Blue Hill beat Arapahoe 53-29 in the consolation game.
Up next
    Cox said WP has a tough week ahead with a Friday-Saturday doubleheader.
    WP will host Hitchcock County (1-7) Friday, then travel to Southwest (4-4) Saturday.