Surging Longhorns romp from opening tip

IMPERIAL, Neb. -- Chase County didn’t give Wray, Colo., time to blink.

With a solid first half and three players in double figures, the Longhorns ran past the visiting Eagles 67-47 in a Tuesday night contest in Imperial.

Chase County started the game with one of its best quarters of the season.

With a 17-9 start to the game, the Longhorns scored 24 points in the opening stanza.

By halftime, the hosts’ lead was extended to 38-21 thanks to 58 percent (15-of-26) shooting. Wray shot 52 percent in the first two quarters but was limited to just 17 shot attempts.

The Longhorns kept the pressure up in the second half en-route to 29 points over the final two quarters.

After only eclipsing the 60-point marker in two of its first 15 games, Chase County has now scored at least 67 in it last two outings.

On Saturday, the Longhorns had 68 in a 76-68 loss to Hershey.

Scott Wheeler paced Chase county (8-10 record) with 16 points, while Braden Space and Jack Bauerle joined him in double figures with 15 and 14 points, respectively.

Parker Dillan had nine, while Cedric Maxwell chipped in four. Nine total Longhorns got in the scoresheet.

As a team, the Longhorns finished 42 percent (25-of-60) from the field, including 53 percent (21-of-40) inside the arc.

Wray (3-12) got a game-high 21 points from sophomore Justin Pecar. Sam Uyemura was next for the Eagles with 12.

Chase County returns to action this Friday with a road game at North Platte St. Patrick’s.

The Longhorns beat the Irish on Jan. 20 for the South Platte Valley Association tournament title in a 43-41 thriller en route to its title.

Scoring leaders

Wray: Pecar, 21; Uyemura, 12; Sercen, 8; Anderson, 4; Morales, 2.

Chase: Wheeler, 16; Space, 15; J. Bauerle, 14; Dillan, 9; Maxwell, 4; B. Bauerle, 3; J. Clevenger, 2; K. Clevenger, 2; Cochran, 2.