Nemaha Central started their 2024 off right with a pair of victories. The girls’ game was a defensive clinic by the Thunder with a 38-26 victory. As for the boys, they survived a late surge by Jefferson West in the third quarter to hold on for a 45-34 win.

Nemaha Central started the game with suffocating defense and making layups to go up 11-0. However, Jefferson West went on a run to close out the quarter to make it 11-6.

The Tigers would keep it up and grow the run to get the score tied 16-16 early in the second quarter. Both offenses would stagnate with both teams ramping up their defensive efforts, resulting in Nemaha Central holding a 17-16 lead at the break.

The Thunder defense would return to its early form and shoutout the Tigers in the third quarter and take a 26-16 lead into the final frame. Nemaha Central accumulated a 20-3 in that time.  They wouldn’t let Jeff West back in the game this time as they allowed just two field goal makes in the quarter.

Kinley Stones led the way in scoring for Jefferson West with eight points. There was some confusion at the scorer’s table with how many fouls she had so she ended up fouling out with just four fouls and missed most of the fourth quarter.

Cali Honeyman led all scorers with 12 points including ten in the second half. She is the Farmers State Bank Player of the Game.

In the boys game, the Thunder took notes during the girls’ game and started with a 10-2 run. That would get them a 14-4 lead at the first quarter’s conclusion.

Nemaha Central would grow their lead to 16 as they led 20-4 with five minutes left in the second quarter. Jeff West would make a couple of field goals before the break, but they would trail by the same deficit with the score at 26-10.

In the third quarter, scoring came at a premium for both teams. However, Tucker Holthaus got hot and scored 11 points in the period. This was because the Tigers went to a full-court zone press and caused many turnovers. Jefferson West got the deficit down to nine with the score at 33-24, but it wouldn’t stay there long. The Thunder were able to break the press consistently in the fourth quarter and hold on for the double-digit win.

Holthaus led the Tigers in scoring with 12 points which included a pair of threes and shooting 4-for-6 from the free-throw line.

Abe Hilbert led Nemaha Central with 16 points including eight in the first quarter. He is your Player of the Game brought to you by Farmers State Bank. Evan Olberding was solid on both sides of the ball with 11 points which includes eight in the first half.

Next for Nemaha Central next Tuesday is a road test against Riverside, and Jefferson West, they try to get back on the winning path at Royal Valley on Tuesday.