Preview: Niobrara/Verdigre Cougars vs. North Central Knights
The Niobrara/Verdigre Cougars will head out on the road to square off against the North Central Knights at 7:00 p.m. on Tuesday. The two teams have had a bumpy ride up to this point with 33 consecutive losses dating back to last season for Niobrara/Verdigre and six for North Central.
Niobrara/Verdigre suffered their biggest defeat yet this season last Saturday. They were beaten by Wausa 63-16. Niobrara/Verdigre was in a tough position after the first half, with the score already sitting at 41-8.
Meanwhile, North Central came up short against West Holt on Thursday and fell 49-42.
Despite the defeat, North Central had strong showings from Jackson Hallock, who dropped a double-double on 12 points and ten rebounds, and Kol Otten, who scored 13 points. Hallock is on a roll when it comes to rebounds, as he's now pulled down eight or more in the last five games he's played. Another player making a difference was Mason Hagan, who scored eight points along with five rebounds.
Even though they lost, North Central smashed the offensive glass and finished the game with 18 offensive rebounds. That's the most offensive rebounds they've managed all season.
Niobrara/Verdigre bumped their record down to 0-12 with that loss, which was their 13th straight on the road dating back to last season. As for North Central, they have been struggling recently, as they've lost seven of their last eight matchups, which put a noticeable dent in their 3-8 record this season.
Niobrara/Verdigre took a serious blow against North Central when the teams last played back in February of 2023, falling 68-30. The game was all but decided by halftime, at which point Niobrara/Verdigre was down 52-10.
