By Jake Dreilinger North Platte Telegraph
NORTH PLATTE — Lucy Ghaifan scored a game-high 19 points, and the Grand Island Central Catholic girls basketball team used size to its advantage as the Crusaders defeated Chase County 48-35 Friday to win the Class C-1, District 4 final and advance to state.
The victory puts the Crusaders into the state tournament for the third-straight season and fourth time in five years.
“Well, we got the win. That’s the important thing,” GICC coach Kevin Mayfield said. “This time of year, it doesn’t matter how it gets done. You win and move on.”
Jenna Heidelk added seven and Chloe Cloud scored six for GICC. Bryn McNair led Chase County with 17, and Morgan Peterson dropped 13.
“We were scrappy, and if you were to look at how shots fell and didn’t fall for us … we were two or three 3-point shots away from squeezing down that lead,” Chase County coach Randy Longoria said. “Great congratulations to you. They’re a solid team. I thought (Ghaifan) … that was the best game that we’ve seen her play. She was something else.
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“That and combined with a little bit of shooting woes for us, that’s where we ended up.”
Right away, the Crusaders used their size to stop Chase County from attacking the inside. With four girls listed at 6-1 or taller, GICC got a hand on most Longhorn shots inside the paint and used that to jump out to a 10-2 lead.
McNair hit a 3-pointer fresh off a timeout to start a 7-2 run that saw Chase County pull to within three. But Heidelk nailed a 3-pointer to give the Crusaders a 17-10 lead at the end of the first half.
GICC slowed down on offense in the second quarter, only scoring 12 points, but its height advantage continued to be a problem for Chase County.
Only McNair and Peterson found baskets in the second quarter, but the Longhorns couldn’t do much with it. Chase County only scored six in the frame and went into halftime down 29-16.
“They had no answer for (our size), and probably our defense,” Mayfield said. “We didn’t play the greatest defense tonight, but I know they see a lot of zones throughout the year. We’ve got some athletic girls. We’ve got big girls, but they’re athletic too.”
Chase County was held to just four points in the third quarter, and GICC used a 9-2 run at the end of the quarter to go up 38-20.
And in the fourth quarter, McNair got to the basket more, but the Crusaders built up too large of a lead for Chase County to come back from. GICC scored 10, including six from Ghaifan, in the final frame to clinch its spot at state.
“This time of year, whether it’s a district final or at state, everybody that’s left is a good team and had success,” Mayfield said. “I’m just happy we’re going, and I’ll play anybody.”
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