McCook Bison girls rally against Grand Island Northwest Vikings

Connie Jo Discoe/McCook Daily Gazette McCook High School senior Austin Wilson sits in the bleachers during Friday night's game against Hastings with her ankle taped. She injured her ankle in the first quarter and sat the rest of the game as well as Saturday's game at Grand Island Northwest.

GRAND ISLAND -- The McCook High School girls basketball team outscored Grand Island Northwest 15-9 in the fourth quarter and defeated the Vikings 38-36 Saturday afternoon at GINW.

The Bison (6-10) got a pair of free throws from Melissa Lyster with 8.9 seconds left to take the lead.

Northwest managed a desperation 3-point attempt at the buzzer that fell short.

McCook played without injured senior starter Austin Wilson.

Melissa Lyster led the Bison with 14 points. She connected on four 3-pointers and hit both her free throws.

Brianna Watkins scored 7 points, Kelsee Meissner 6, Joanna Bryant 4, Lindsey Hazlitt 3, Tara Powell 2 and Sydney Jumps 2. Hanah Swanhorst and Kali Lyons played but did not score.

"We were able to overcome a poor shooting percentage from the field by executing on offense and playing very hard on defense in the second half," said McCook coach Barry Schaeffer. We rebounded much better better and were able to cause some turnovers. In the fourth quarter, the girls stepped up to the line and made their free throws, which allowed us to earn a victory and gain some momentum going into the Orange and Black Tournament."

The Bison girls will play Wichita South at 3 p.m. central time Thursday in the first round round of the Orange and Black Tournament, followed by the Bison boys against Wichita South at 4:45 p.m.

McCOOK 38, GRAND ISLAND NORTHWEST 36

McCook 7 5 11 15 -- 38

Northwest 6 12 9 9 -- 36

McCOOK (6-10)

Melissa Lyster 4-10 2-2 14, Powell 1-5 0-0 2, Hazlitt 1-5 1-4 3, Bryant 2-9 0-0 4, Swanhorst 0-0 0-2 0, Watkins 2-3 3-4 7, Meissner 0-5 6-6 6, Jumps 0-1 2-2 2. Totals 10-38 14-20 38.

NORTHWEST (2-8)

Helgoth 2-6 0-0 4, Berry 2-5 0-0 4, Havranek 1-5 0-0 2, Birch 2-9 2-3 6, Jenna Rouzee 3-9 1-2 10, Julie Stoltenberg 5-7 0-0 10, Myers 1-9 0-0 2, Boehler 0-2 1-2 1. Totals 16-52 4-7.

3-Point goals: McCook 4-11 (Lyster 4-8, Powell 0-1, Bryant 0-1, Meissner 0-1), Northwest 0-6 (Helgoth 0-2, Berry 0-1, Rouzee 0-1, Myers 0-2).

McCook JV girls 41,

Grand Island Northwest 30

GRAND ISLAND -- The McCook junior varsity girls basketball team broke away from the Grand Island Northwest Vikings with a 19-5 third quarter and won Saturday's game 41-30.

Kalil Lyons led the Bison with 10 points. Sydney Jumps added 8, Tara Powell 7, Katie West 5, Audrie Krepcik 5, Hanah Swanhorst 4 and Brianna Watkins 2.

Becky Goodenberger, Ashley Palic, Kelsey Pohl, Morgan Chitwood and Kelsey O'Dea played but did not score.

Krepcik, Swanhorst and Chitwood each grabbed 4 rebounds.

Watkins and Chitwood each dished off 2 assists.

Jumps had 1 blocked shot. Lyons and Pohl each had 5 steals, Goodenberg 3, Swanhorst 2 and O'Dea 2.

"The girls struggled a little in the first half getting points on the board, but they turned up the pressure defensively in the second half to get some turnovers and easy baskets that allowed them to catch up and then pull away for the win," Schaeffer said. "All of the kids played well in the game."