Basketball Recap: Cozad Comes Up Short

If Cozad was riding high fresh off their 62-26 takedown of McCool Junction on Tuesday, their most recent game may have dampened their spirits a bit. The Haymakers opened the new year with a less-than-successful 50-42 defeat to the Ord Chanticleers. The result was an unpleasant reminder to the Haymakers of the 43-23 loss they experienced in the pair's previous head-to-head fixture back in January of 2025.

Despite the defeat, Cozad saw an underclassman step up: sophomore Brittlin Bussinger posted 14 points. The team also got some help courtesy of Braelyn Malcom, who scored five points along with seven boards and four blocks.

Olivia Lange was her usual excellent self, dropping a double-double with 22 points and 13 rebounds for Ord. That makes it four consecutive games in which Lange has scored at least a third of the Chanticleers' points. Another player making a difference was Addison Stethem, who went 5-for-12 en route to 14 points and five boards.

Cozad's loss dropped their record down to 2-8. As for Ord, their record now sits at 4-6.

Looking ahead, Cozad will head out on the road to take on Norton at 6:00 p.m. on Tuesday. As for Ord, they will look to defend their home court on Thursday against Minden at 6:00 p.m.