Johnson-Brock has gone a perfect 5-0 against Exeter-Milligan/Friend recently and they'll look to pad the win column further on Thursday. The Eagles will be taking part in a tournament against the Bobcats at 8:00 p.m. Both squads will be entering this one on the heels of a big victory.
Exeter-Milligan/Friend will face off against a team with plenty of momentum: Johnson-Brock extended their winning streak to seven on Tuesday. The Eagles simply couldn't be stopped as they easily beat Palmyra 57-24. The final result isn't all that surprising considering the Eagles' considerable advantage in MaxPreps' Nebraska basketball rankings (they are ranked 31st, while the Panthers are ranked 134th).
Grady Behrends
| 01/13/26 vs Palmyra | 14 |
| 01/10/26 vs Weeping Water | 12 |
| 01/08/26 @ Pawnee City | 7 |
| 01/06/26 @ Lourdes Central Catholic | 4 |
| 12/30/25 @ Sabetha | 9 |
| + 5 more games |
Johnson-Brock had a senior duo take command as Brody Koehler went 8-for-12 on his way to 19 points and Grady Behrends posted 14 points and three steals. Behrends continues to improve, besting his previous point total in each of the last three games he's played. The team also got some help courtesy of Hayden Gravatt, who earned eight points.
Meanwhile, Exeter-Milligan/Friend made easy work of Johnson County Central on Tuesday and carried off a 70-47 victory.
Johnson-Brock better keep an eye on Grady Bresson. He was instrumental in Exeter-Milligan/Friend's win, dropping a double-double with 22 points and 12 rebounds. Bresson's big performance that afternoon made it three games in a row in which he has scored at least 21 points. Gehrig Weber was another key player, shooting 50% from the field en route to 16 points.
Exeter-Milligan/Friend smashed the offensive glass and finished the game with 13 offensive boards. That strong performance was nothing new for the team: they've now pulled down at least eight offensive rebounds every time they've taken the court this season.
Johnson-Brock's win bumped their record up to 11-1. As for Exeter-Milligan/Friend, their victory bumped their record up to an identical 11-1.
Rebounding is likely to be a big factor in this contest: Johnson-Brock has been smashing the glass this season, having averaged 31.8 boards per game. However, it's not like Exeter-Milligan/Friend struggles in that department as they've been averaging an even more impressive 36.8 rebounds. With both teams battling to corral missed shots, we'll see if one team can grab an edge.
Johnson-Brock strolled past Exeter-Milligan/Friend when the teams last played back in February of 2025 by a score of 48-34. Do the Eagles have another victory up their sleeve, or will the Bobcats turn the tables on them? We'll have the answer soon enough.
