Platte County junior Chandavian Bradley, above, scored 17 points in the Pirates 60-40 win over Kearney on Feb. 4.
For more than a decade, the Platte County boys’ basketball team has struggled to take down Kearney.
No matter if it was a regular season matchup, a meeting in a tournament throughout the course of the year or a district contest, the Bulldogs have had the Pirates’ number. Before this season, Kearney had won 29 of the last 37 overall meetings between the rivals - including the 2021 Class 5 District 16 Championship Game.
In six of the last seven years, Kearney has eliminated Platte County in the postseason, but this year the Pirates have handled the Bulldogs with ease in the two regular season matchups. In the Pirates’ seventh consecutive win to start the year, they defeated the Bulldogs 66-39 on Dec. 17.
Most recently, Platte County (16-2) beat Kearney (5-15) 60-40 on Feb. 4 to give the Pirates their eighth straight victory. It was tight early on as a late corner 3-pointer in the first quarter by Parker Amos gave the Pirates an 11-8 margin.
The Pirates had a strong offensive surge in the second quarter to take a 30-17 lead at the break and extended the margin to more than 20 in the third period. Kearney never led after the opening frame as Chandavian Bradley ended with 17 points and Jarett Mueller added 15 points.
The win put Platte County to first place in the Kansas City Suburban Conference Blue Division with a 7-1 conference record. The Pirates move a game in front of Ruskin (5-1), with Smithville (4-2) next in the standings.
Platte County controls its own destiny with a chance to win at least a share of its second consecutive league title as the Pirates still have games against Grandview (4-8), Ruskin (10-9) and Smithville (14-5). Platte County’s next game will be on the road against St. Joseph’s Lafayette (10-5) on Feb. 10.