GIRLS STATE BASKETBALL ROUNDUP: Links Advance, Gators and Hawks End Their Seasons

Courtesy of AlphaMedia USA Lincoln.

LINCOLN–(KFOR Mar. 1)–Class A No. 3 seed Lincoln High managed to break away from a back-and-forth game with No. 6 seed Millard West on Wednesday night by outscoring the Wildcats 22-12 during the final five minutes of the fourth quarter to give the Links a 64-55 win in the opening round of the NSAA Girls State Basketball Tournament.

Lincoln High (24-1) has now won 23-straight games and will face No. 2 seed Millard North in Friday’s 7:45pm Class A semifinal at Pinnacle Bank Arena, which you can hear on KFOR.

The Links got 17 of those final 22 points from guards Pip Harris and Kiana Wiley. Harris scored 14 points in the game while Wiley had a team-high 18 points.

MILLARD NORTH 54, LINCOLN NORTH STAR 37

Millard North was able to break away from North Star when Sara Harley hit the first of her five three-pointers late in the first half to help the Mustangs regain control of the game to take a 26-22 lead at halftime.

North Star had trailed by nine points in the first quarter, but rallied back when Saliesha Gray hit a step-back three-pointer with 2:16 left in the second quarter that put the Gators up 22-21.

Sarah Gatwech led North Star with 15 points.

MILLARD SOUTH 74, LINCOLN SOUTHWEST 58

It didn’t take long for the top-seeded Patriots to jump ahead early on and not look back. It was 20-2 Millard South six minutes into the game and a full-court press helped in forcing turnovers from an injury-plagued Southwest team that led to easy baskets.

It 25-8 Patriots heading into the second quarter before the Silver Hawks found some offense. Millard South (25-2) was led by Cora Olsen’s game-high 31 points, while Khloe Lemon added 17 points and Mya Babbitt finished with 14 for the Patriots.

Southwest was led by junior guard Kennadi Williams’ 23 points. The Silver Hawks finish the season at 14-11.

Click the link below to hear the podcasts of Wednesday’s Class A games.

KFOR High School Sports Podcast Page

Lincoln Southwest’s Kennadi Williams (middle) drives to the basket between Millard South defenders Lexie Finkenbiner (left) and Juliana Jones, while Southwest’s Piper Bellamy watches the action. (Jeff Motz/KFOR Sports)

BRIDGEPORT 61, LINCOLN CHRISTIAN 57

In a back and forth battle in the Class C1 quarterfinal, Christian’s Jessa Hueser hit a three-pointer and Kenadee Ailes converted on a three-point play. But Bridgeport converted on a key free-throw attempt late, including rebounding a missed shot with five seconds left to seal the victory.

Ailes scored a game-high 22 points for the Crusaders, who finished the season at 22-4, while Lauren Swan added 16 points.

The Bulldogs got 18 points from Ruthie Loomis-Goltl before fouling out with 10 seconds remaining and 15 points from Brooklyn Mohrman to stay perfect and move onto Friday’s semifinals.

MALCOLM 46, WAHOO 32

After falling twice before to Wahoo this season, the Clippers managed to find a way to win and limiting the Warriors to three second-half field goals and 0-for-11 from three-point range.

Malcolm freshman Halle Dolliver had 19 points to lead the Clippers, who improved to 22-5 and move on and play North Bend at 9am Friday in the C1- semifinals.