Recap: Paxton Tigers vs. Wallace Wildcats
The Paxton Tigers scored the most points they've had all season to find success on Friday. They were the clear victor by a 72-46 margin over Wallace. Paxton has made a habit of sweeping their opponents off the court, having now won four matchups by 23 points or more this season.
Paxton's win was the result of several impressive offensive performances. One of the most notable came from Josh Eakins, who scored 24 points. The team also got some help courtesy of Tanner Hebblethwaite, who scored 14 points along with three blocks and two steals.
When it comes to explaining why Wallace lost, one person who can't be blamed is Matt Lungrin. Despite the final result, he scored 18 points along with three steals. That was a full 39.1% of Wallace's points, marking the third time in a row he's earned more than a third of the team's points. Masen Messersmith was another key contributor, scoring seven points along with six rebounds.
Paxton pushed their record up to 7-5 with that victory, which was their sixth straight at home. Those good results were due in large part to their offensive dominance across that stretch, as they averaged 59.2 points per game. As for Wallace, their defeat dropped their record down to 6-8.
Paxton will head out on the road to square off against Hitchcock County at 6:30 p.m. on Tuesday. The matchup should be an exciting one, as these teams are ranked near one another in Nebraska (Hitchcock County is ranked 184th, while Paxton is ranked 167th). As for Wallace, they will look to defend their home court on Tuesday against Dundy County-Stratton.