Raider's 30 points power finals win over Wallace

Medicine Valley junior Hayden Kramer's second of two slam dunks highlighted a 30-point effort and 47-40 Raider subdistrict finals win over host Wallace Thursday night.

Steve Towery/McCook Gazette

WALLACE, Neb. — From his 15-point second quarter to one final title-clinching slam dunk, sophomore Hayden Kramer knew what was behind Medicine Valley’s superb success Thursday night.

“We practice hard, we play hard and w eplay hard as a team,” he proclaimed following his 30 points in the Raiders’ 47-40 subdistrict finals win over Wallace Thursday night.

The Raiders (16-8 record) took charge during that second quarter where an 8-8 tie became a 25-17 halftime lead over those No. 1-seed Wildcats (17-6).

Coach Jason Maier and the Medicine Valley Raiders were ready to stand tall during their subdistrict finals win over Wallace Thursday evening.

Steve Towery/McCook Gazette

Wallace made a strong run, even closing within one at 30-29 late in the third period.

Yet the Raider team held together and rattled off 11 of those next 13 points to regain a 41-31 advantage.

Sebastian Kramer made one memorable steal along the baseline where he barely kept either foot from grazing out of bounds.

His team quickly scored on the other end to make it 38-31 through three periods.

Hudson Stout’s perfectly-timed offensive putback started those final eight minutes.

Stout soon picked off a Wildcat pass and added another free throw to make it 41-31.

Sebastian was fresh off a 22-point performance vs. Brady Tuesday night. He offered a succinct analysis of playing with brother Hayden all his Raider “family.”

“It’s amazing,” he said.

Wallace still sought freedom from this surprise defeat, cutting it to 44-40 as 26.5 seconds remained.

All that set up Hayden Kramer for one final press-breaking, two-hand slam dunk.

“Coach drew up a play, a guy screened for me and I went down there and dunked it,” Hayden concluded.

The Raiders now get set to play perennial power Falls City Sacred Heart in their D2-7 district final at Hampton High School. Opening tip is set for 6 p.m.

One fact’s for certain:

Don’t count these Raiders out.

“A lot of these guys played as freshmen when we didn’t have numbers and they stuck with it,” coach Jason Maier conclued.”They’re good basketball players, they have skills and they get after it.”

MED VALLEY (47) — Hayden Kramer 30 points, Hudson Stout 8, Lane Lenz 5, Hudson Stout 4. 3-pointers: None.

WALLACE (40) — Alec Messersmith’s 11 points led the 17-6 Wildcats.