OAKLAND – Oakland-Craig hosted North bend Central in a girls and boys varsity basketball doubleheader on 107.9 The Bull Friday night, Jan. 24. The Knights won the girls game 40-39 while the Tigers took the boys game 58-52.
The girls game featured a match up of previously unbeatens, with both teams heading in at 15-0. The game was tightly contested throughout, and the game was tied 10-10 at the end of the first quarter.
The Knights were able to hold NBC to just six points in the second quarter, and Oakland-Craig took a 22-16 lead into halftime.
Oakland-Craig stretched their lead to 10 early in the second half, but they were eventually held to just five points in the third quarter, and the Tigers didnt score in the third until almost two minutes left, but they went on a run late in the frame, adding nine points, making the score Oakland-Craig 27, NBC 25 after three.
The Knights started to create a little separation in the fourth, but NBC went on a small scoring run, and cut the score to 40-39 with 9.6 seconds to go.
The Tigers had the basketball on their side of the floor down one with 9.6 seconds left and a chance to win the game. A shot from Sydney Emanuel missed of the right side of the rim and time expired, preserving the 40-39 victory for Oakland-Craig.
Kennedy Benne scored 12 points to lead O-C, with Chaney Nelson adding eight. Kaitlyn Emanuel scored 13 points off the bench for NBC, and Lauren Emanuel had 10.
Oakland-Craig remains undefeated at 16-0, while North Bend Central is now 15-1.
Oakland-Craig faces Norris at the Omaha Classic on Saturday, while North Bend Central hosts Madison on Tuesday.
In the boys game, North bend Central put their 14-0 record on the line against 13-3 Oakland-Craig.
Oaland-Craig went on a 7-0 to start, and led 9-2. But North Bend Central went on a 7-0 run of their own and scored the final 11 points of the first quarter to take a 16-13 lead.
Jaxon Wietfeld took over for the Tiger in the second quarter, scoring eight points in helping NBC to a 31-23 halftime lead.
Oakland-Craig came out strong in the third quarter, outscoring NBC 14-11, but the Tigers still held a 42-37 advantage after three.
A key stat throughout the first three quarters were the charge fouls called against NBC on offense. The Tigers had six called against them in the first three frames, and seven in the game. And Oakland-Craig had three charges called on them. Both teams were playing very fast and very aggressive, which created an exciting atmosphere, but also resulted in the unusually high amount of fouls on offense.
Okaland-Craig was able to pull with three points at 49-46 with just over three minutes left in the game.
North Bend Central then went on a 6-0 run to lead 55-46. The Tigers made free throws down the stretch and were leading 58-49 when O-Cs Colton Thomsen made a three pointer as time expired to make the final score NBC 58, O-C 52.
Jaxon Wietfeld and Austin Endorf each had 15 points to lead NBC, with Breckin Peters adding 12.
Caden Nelson led Oakland-Craig with 16 points and Gunnar Ray added 12.
North Bend Central remains undefeated at 15-0, and will host Madison on Tuesday.
Oakland-Craig is now 13-4 and faces Treynor, IA at the Omaha Classic on Saturday.
