The West Platte Bluejays are on their first winning streak of the season, and they’ve done so with some of their better scoring outputs.
After beating Trenton to end the Lawson Invitational on Jan. 9, West Platte defeated South Holt on Jan. 14 and Orrick three days later, both in non-conference games.
West Platte 74, Orrick 59
attison and Hendricks both poured in 23 points as the Bluejays’ extended their winning streak to three games on Jan. 18 in Orrick, Mo.
West Platte trailed 16-10 after the first quarter and 33-23 at halftime. But a 31-point third quarter gave the Bluejays a 54-45 lead headed into the final frame.
Hendricks scored 19 of his game total in the second half, with 11 coming in a crucial third period. The Bluejays out-scored Orrick 20-12 in the fourth quarter.
Hendricks cashed in on three treys and went 4-of-5 from the free throw line. Pattison, who scored 12 in the first half, was 7-for-8 from the charity stripe.
The Bluejays are back in action this week in the North Platte Tournament.
West Platte 76, South Holt 39
Five Bluejays managed double-digit scoring in a non-league victory on Jan. 14 in Oregon, Mo.
Pattison scored a game-high 22 points for West Platte, while Hendricks registered 14 and Cole Vandel 13.
Cogan and Johnson chipped in 11 apiece.
The Bluejays led 23-20 after the first quarter before taking a 43-37 advantage into the break. West Platte then led 56-48 headed into the final frame before pulling off the seven-point win.
West Platte 80, Trenton 66
Brayden Cogan led all scorers with 22 points and Phillip Pattison had 21 as the Bluejays cruised past Trenton on Jan. 9 in Lawson.
The Bluejays (5-7) trailed 17-15 after the first quarter, but they took back the lead with a 29-25 advantage at the half. West Platte took off in the third quarter, scoring 31 points to take a 60-48 lead into the fourth quarter.
Cogan and Pattison starred in the high-scoring third peßriod. Cogan totaled 11 points and two treys in the quarter, while Pattison had 10.
CODY THORN/Citizen photo
North Platte’s Ty French, shooting, draws a foul by Lathrop’s Colton Nichols during the second half of a KCI Conference game on Thursday, Jan. 17 in Dearborn, Mo.
West Platte had two others in double figures — Hunter Hendricks with 16 and Noah Johnson with 14.
Lathrop 62, North Platte 24
The Panthers didn’t get a field goal for more than 7 minutes and faced a double-digit margin throughout most of the KCI Conference contest on Thursday, Jan. 17 in Dearborn.
The Mules, winner of seven in a row, raced out to an 11-0 lead and led 13-1 after the first 8 minutes. The only points for North Platte – which has dropped nine in a row – was a free throw from Andrew Hernandez with 1:06 left in the frame.
Hernandez, who had a team-high 8 points, hit a 3-pointer at the 6:36 mark in the second quarter for the first field goal for North Platte (1-13, 0-3 KCI). From there on, the lowest deficit for North Platte was 17-7, after a bucket by Jesse Martin.
By halftime, Lathrop took a 33-7 lead thanks to closing out on a 16-0 run.
The run expanded to 22-0 by the third quarter, which made it 39-7 with 5 minutes to play in the third quarter. North Platte scored 12 points in the frame, but trailed 52-19 going into the final quarter. A turbo clock made the fourth quarter move by quickly.
Chris Moore had 16 and Blake Gordon added 14 for Lathrop.