Recap: Norris Titans vs. Bellevue East Chieftains
The Norris Titans entered their tilt with the Bellevue East Chieftains with four consecutive wins but they'll enter their next game with five. Norris strolled past Bellevue East with points to spare on Friday, taking the game 56-42. Given Norris' advantage in MaxPreps' Nebraska basketball rankings (they are ranked sixth, while Bellevue East is ranked 68th), the result wasn't entirely unexpected.
Norris' success was the result of a balanced attack that saw several players step up, but Grace Kohler led the charge by scoring 13 points along with eight rebounds. Another player making a difference was Kennedy Sullivan, who scored 11 points along with two steals.
When it comes to explaining why Bellevue East lost, one person who can't be blamed is Jamyla Gilmore. Despite the final result, she scored eight points along with two steals. TNiyah Wilson-Smith was another key contributor, scoring seven points along with six steals.
Norris' victory was their eighth straight at home dating back to last season, which pushed their record up to 12-2. Those victories were due in large part to their offensive dominance across that stretch, as they averaged 52.8 points per game. As for Bellevue East, their loss ended a three-game streak of away wins and brought them to 9-6.
Norris will head out on the road to face off against Beatrice at 5:30 p.m. on Tuesday. One thing working in Beatrice's favor is that they have posted big point totals in their last eight matches. As for Bellevue East, they won't have much time to rest: their next contest is against Lincoln Southwest at 3:00 p.m. on January 27th. Lincoln Southwest is strutting with some offensive muscle, as they've averaged 53.3 points per game.