Northeast Nodaway’s boys have been having a long season, with one lone win to its credit. Their 40-38 loss to archrival Platte Valley was the toughest to swallow Tuesday, January 20th as they had their chances but fell short. Northeast has not beaten Platte Valley in many years, since at least 2006.
At first, it looked like it would be just another blowout. Platte Valley was riding the momentum of a second place finish in Stanberry. They completely outplayed Northeast during the course of the game, with 6’6” behemoth Andy Mattson scoring at will and Platte Valley grabbing 19 offensive rebounds. But after Mattson scored six of Platte Valley’s first ten points on a 10-2 run, Northeast found itself in the game after Bentin Roberts drove and scored and Reece Gray added a 3-pointer to make it 10-7.
Mattson and Platte Valley pushed out to a 15-7 lead early in the second quarter, but then all of a sudden, the Bluejays realized they could play ball with them and started fighting back. Liam Cordell, who was playing his best game so far as a Bluejay, blocked a shot, snatched it out of the air, and fed Bentin Roberts for two and Lance Runde added a free throw to make it 15-10. Dylan Klamm countered with a drive for Platte Valley, but then Liam Cordell drove down the right baseline and finished over Andy Mattson.
Klamm was shaken up and left briefly, and Northeast used his absence to get back into the game. Jace Burns hit a 3-pointer and Wyatt Scadden scored off a Bentin Roberts steal to knot it at 17 before Mattson struck again to make it 19-17. The score was stuck there until Lance Runde beat the halftime buzzer to put Northeast in front 20-19.
Mattson and Platte Valley threatened to take over the game at the start of the third quarter, pushing out to a 26-22 lead. But Wyatt Scadden hit Lance Runde inside, and he hit two free throws to cut it to 26-24. Liam Cordell drove and hit a pullup with 3:32 to knot it up again.
Grady Gockel got a putback to put Platte Valley back in front, but Bentin Roberts drove and scored after Liam Cordell got him the ball. Then, Wyatt Scadden got a steal and threw a long skip pass in transition to Liam Cordell for three to put the Bluejays in front 33-30 with 1:15 left in the third.
But a massive collision between Grady Gockel and Wyatt Scadden forced Scadden out of the game temporarily, and Gockel hit both free throws to cut Platte Valley’s deficit to 31-30. Scadden came back soon and Reece Gray went coast to coast with 10 seconds left to put the Bluejays up 33-30 after three.
The Bluejays had their chances to go up six, but a good look from downtown went in and out before Mattson cut it to 33-32. Then, a costly turnover, when Northeast stepped on the endline on the ensuing play, led to a Mattson putback to put them back in front 34-33 with 5:34 left.
But Northeast’s chances were kept alive when Bentin Roberts grabbed an offensive board and Liam Cordell later hit Lance Runde in the corner for three to make it 36-34. Grady Gockel countered with a drive and pullup to knot it back up at 36 with 3:36 left in the game.
Reece Gray had a 3-pointer go in and out, but Bentin Roberts grabbed it in traffic, only for the Bluejays to later turn it over. Platte Valley missed a shot and then a Dylan Klamm three missed and went out of bounds off Platte Valley as coach Tyler Pedersen unsuccessfully lobbied for a foul.
Gray missed a runner, and then Grady Gockel drove and spun, hitting a shot with 27 seconds left to break the tie in Platte Valley’s favor at 38-36. But Reece Gray threw up a runner with 13 seconds left and made it to knot the game at 38 and drew the foul. He missed, but Lance Runde seemingly had it in his grasp, only for Grady Gockel to strip him and race down the floor. Northeast had fouls to give, and Runde fouled him at midcourt to prevent the game-winning layup.
Grady Gockel drove down the right wing and found nothing but daylight and hit a 15-footer as time expired to give Platte Valley the win.
Lance Runde had 11 points for the Bluejays. Liam Cordell had 9, Reece Gray 7, Bentin Roberts 6, Jace Burns 3, and Wyatt Scadden 2.
Jude Archer, Liam Cordell, Lance Runde, and Wyatt Scadden each had a blocked shot.
Lance Runde had 7 boards. Bentin Roberts, Liam Cordell, and Reece Gray had 5, Wyatt Scadden 3, Jace Burns 2, and Jude Archer 1.
Wyatt Scadden had 5 assists. Bentin Roberts had 4, Liam Cordell 3, and Jace Burns and Reece Gray 1.
Liam Cordell had 4 tips. Bentin Roberts had 2 and Jace Burns, Liam Cordell, and Wyatt Scadden 1.
Bentin Roberts had 3 steals. Reece Gray and Wyatt Scadden had 2 and Liam Cordell had 1.
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