Nemaha Valley 36, Marysville 33

For the first time since 2003 when they won it all, the Lady Raiders basketball team is heading back to the 3A State Tournament in Hutchinson.  NV came back from a double-digit halftime deficit on Saturday night in Horton to beat Marysville for the second time this season in a tournament championship.  The Lady Raiders had a 10-7 advantage early in the second quarter, but didn't lead again until the 3:43 mark on the game when Kennedy McKernan hit a three-pointer to put NV up 34-33. Then, the stingy defense held Marysville without a point in the final four minutes of the contest.  Nemaha Valley trailed 21-12 at halftime and was behind 27-17 with 2:30 left in the third quarter, but found a way to take advantage of 20 Marysville turnovers and make 6 clutch free throws down the stretch to seal the sub-state title.  

Madison Koch got a couple big steals and hit her third three-pointer of the year to close the gap in the fourth quarter before McKernan gave NV to lead.  Koch scored 9 while McKernan had 5 of her 7 in the final quarter and Jaci Swart scored eight.  Mikayla Peterson had a critical steal and a layup before Moriah Rottinghaus hit three late free throws including two with :45 left for the final points of the game.  

Nemaha Valley (19-4) will make their 13th state girls basketball tourney appearance and have won their first-round game in the previous 12 trips.  Marysville, who had two possessions down three points in the closing seconds, saw their season end at 17-6 as Abi Degenhardt scored 12 of her 14 points in the first half and Tristan Wicks added 10 in the loss.