Lady Raiders Roll, Red Raiders Rally Over Chadron
The Sidney basketball teams earned a home sweep Friday night, as the Lady Raiders pulled away for a convincing 67-37 win while the Red Raiders staged a dramatic fourth-quarter comeback to defeat Chadron in overtime, 61-52.
SIDNEY - The Sidney basketball teams earned a home sweep Friday night, as the Lady Raiders pulled away for a convincing 67-37 win while the Red Raiders staged a dramatic fourth-quarter comeback to defeat Chadron in overtime, 61-52.
The Lady Raiders shook off a slow start before turning the game into a rout.
Sidney led just 4-3 with 2:23 remaining in the opening quarter, but closed the period on a 9-1 run to take a 13-4 advantage after one.
The Lady Raiders extended the margin in the second quarter behind Rylan Misegadis, who knocked down two three-pointers and scored eight points in the period. Sidney outscored Chadron 20-11 in the quarter to build a 33-15 halftime lead.
Laramey Misegadis took over in the third, pouring in nine of Sidney’s 24 points in the quarter as the Lady Raiders stretched the lead to 57-28 heading into the final period. Sidney cruised the rest of the way to secure the 30-point victory.
Sidney improves to 15-5 on the season, while Chadron falls to 15-9.
Laramey Misegadis led the Lady Raiders with 19 points, and Kierra Schrader added 14. Jezy Alcorn paced Chadron with 15 points.
The win completed a season sweep for Sidney after a 56-32 victory in the season opener on December 5.
The nightcap featured a much different script, as the Red Raiders rallied from a 12-point deficit late in regulation to force overtime before pulling away for the win.
Neither team found much offensive rhythm early. The teams combined for just 13 points over the first five minutes and were tied 11-11 after one quarter.
Chadron gained control in the second, taking a 25-20 lead into halftime after another slow stretch in which the teams combined for only 13 points over the first six minutes of the period.
The Cardinals built their lead to 33-23 midway through the third and held a 37-30 advantage heading into the fourth. Chadron’s largest lead came at 49-37 with 2:35 remaining in regulation.
That’s when Sidney flipped the script.
The Red Raiders turned up the pressure with an aggressive full-court man-to-man defense that forced multiple Chadron turnovers. Rhys Dorcey sparked the comeback, scoring nine of his 10 points down the stretch and converting five of six free throws. His layup off of a steal with 9.7 seconds remaining capped a 15-3 Sidney run and tied the game AT 52-52 to send it into overtime.
Sidney’s defense continued to dominate in the extra session, holding Chadron scoreless while the Red Raiders converted seven of 10 free throws to seal the 61-52 victory.
Sidney improves to 8-13, while Chadron drops to 9-14.
The Red Raiders placed five players in double figures, led by Kale Kaiser’s 15 points. Keian Kaiser added 14, while Alek Doty, Rhys Dorcey and Kash Knobbe each finished with 10.
The win avenged an earlier 63-43 loss to Chadron on December 5, when Sidney was short-handed with only six practices and three starters sidelined following the state championship football game the previous week.
Sidney returns to action Tuesday, February 17, hosting North Platte at the Cabela’s Athletic Facility. The girl’s game is scheduled for 5:30 p.m., followed by the boys at 7:00 p.m. Fans can listen live on 1340 AM/95.7 FM Cheyenne County Country, online at thebigboy987.com, or on the News Channel Nebraska app.