Basketball Recap: Ainsworth's Losing Streak Snapped at Four Games

Ainsworth came into Thursday's contest having lost four straight, but that streak is now in the rearview. They came out on top against the Niobrara/Verdigre Cougars by a score of 57-46 on Thursday. That result was just more of the same for these two, as the Bulldogs also won the last time the pair played back in February of 2024.

Ainsworth's success was the result of a balanced attack that saw several players step up, but Chris Fernandez led the charge by putting up 20 points and five boards. The dominant performance gave Fernandez a new career-high in points. Another player making a difference was Witten Painter, who went 5 of 11 on his way to 16 points and six rebounds.

Ainsworth's victory was their first in the district, bumping their district record up to 1-2 and their overall record up to 3-10. As for Niobrara/Verdigre, they dropped their record down to 0-16 with the defeat, which was their 17th straight at home dating back to last season.

Ainsworth has already played their next match (against Sandhills/Thedford), but no score has been uploaded at the time of writing. Niobrara/Verdigre has already played their next game, a 70-32 loss against Stuart on the 1st.