Basketball Game Preview: North Platte Bulldogs vs. Kearney Catholic Stars

The North Platte Bulldogs will take on the Kearney Catholic Stars at 4:45 p.m. on Saturday. North Platte is looking for their season's first victory.

It's never fun to lose, and it's even less fun to lose 72-35, which was the final score in North Platte's tilt against Pius X on Thursday. While losing is never fun, the Bulldogs can't take it too hard given the team's big disadvantage in MaxPreps' Nebraska basketball rankings (they are ranked 264th, while the Thunderbolts are ranked 53rd).

Even though the team lost, they still had their share of impressive performances. One of the best came from Easton Jones, who posted 13 points.

Meanwhile, after soaring to 60 points the game before, Kearney Catholic was a bit more limited in their contest on Friday. They were dealt a 63-29 defeat at the hands of Grand Island Central Catholic. The matchup marked the Stars' lowest-scoring game so far this season.

Despite the loss, Kearney Catholic saw an underclassman step up: sophomore Jacob Bosshamer earned nine points. The team also got some help courtesy of Oliver Sharp, who put up five points and seven rebounds.

Kearney Catholic's defeat dropped their record down to 4-4. As for North Platte, their loss dropped their record down to 0-10.

Rebounding is likely to be a big factor in this contest: North Platte has crashing the boards this season, having averaged 23.8 boards per game. However, it's not like Kearney Catholic struggles in that department as they've been averaging 27 rebounds. With both teams battling to corral missed shots, we'll see if one team can grab an edge.

North Platte came up short against Kearney Catholic when the teams last played back in January of 2024, falling 64-57. Will North Platte have more luck at home instead of on the road? Check back here after the action for a full breakdown and analysis of the contest.