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Nevada Middle School seventh and eighth-grade hoops teams open season
Kicking off their season over the weekend in Frontenac, Kan., the Nevada Middle School seventh-grade basketball team earned a 40-29 victory over Pittsburg, Kan., and then fell to host-Frontenac, 38-24.
Nevada’s Trent Otter led the way with identical team-highs of 15 points in both contests.
“This is a pretty talented team,” said Nevada head coach, Rob Miner. “However, we do not have a whole lot of size inside — but what we lack there, this team makes up for it with hustle and determination.”
Miner said he was encouraged by his squad’s season-opening performances.
“I was pleased with our tempo and effort on both ends of the court,” said the veteran coach. “We missed some easy shots, but this tournament required us to use a (smaller) ball, which we are unaccustomed to.”
The seventh-grade Tigers had a quick turnaround, as Nevada defeated Webb City at home Monday, 36-31. Otter and Drew Beachler combined for 24 points. Additionally, Nevada was defeated in the B-game, 21-12.
The Tigers then throttled Fort Scott (Kan.) in a Tuesday evening home contest, 44-19. Nevada was paced by Case Sanderson’s 12 points and 7 rebounds. Nevada was edged in the B-game, 29-27, as Tayvin Moore concluded with a game-high 18 points, while Brayden Koenig chipped in 7 rebounds.
“We are going to focus on strengthening our rebounding and getting in better position to rebound,” said Miner, as his club improves to 3-1 on the young season.
Eighth-grade opener
In its opener Monday at home, the Nevada eighth-grade team was derailed by Webb City, 60-28.
“(Webb’s) pressure sped us up, and they got a lot of easy points off turnovers,” said first-year Nevada head coach, Neil Barnes, adding, “you could tell it was our first game.”
Nevada guard Eli Cheaney finished with a team-high 14 points.
In the B-game, the Tigers were upended by Webb, 54-23, as Nevada’s Ethan Gravely tallied a team-high, 12 points.
“Again, too many turnovers that led to easy baskets for Webb,” said Barnes. “A lot of our players were playing in their first (career) basketball game. This group got a lot better as the game went on.”
The eighth-grade Tigers hosted Fort Scott on Tuesday, falling 41-27.
“Their pressure caused us to speed up and turn the ball over,” said Barnes. “We were only down two at halftime, but did not handle pressure in the third quarter, and dug ourselves a hole. We played better than we did against Webb, so I was happy to see that.”
For Nevada (0-2), Kartman Highley led the way with a team-high 13 points.”
In the B-game, Nevada was edged, 26-24.
“We played much better than the night before,” said Barnes, adding, “we made a lot of fundamental mistakes that gave up easy baskets. The game came down to a last second shot, and we gave ourselves a chance with a good look, but it just didn’t fall.”
For Nevada, Cordell Cox concluded with 8 points.