After flying high against the Northwest Vikings last Tuesday, the Hastings Tigers came back down to earth. Hastings took a 58-53 hit to the loss column at the hands of the Bulldogs. Hastings has not had much luck with the Bulldogs recently, as the team's come up short the last three times they've met.
Jesse Mauch was his usual excellent self, going 7 for 12 from beyond the arc en route to 35 points and 1 assist for North Platte. As a matter of fact, that's the most points Mauch has scored all season. Another player making a difference was Landon O'brien, who scored nine points.
Hastings' loss was their third straight on the road, which dropped their record down to 6-11. As for North Platte, their win ended a five-game drought at home dating back to last season and bumped them up to 5-9.
Both squads are looking forward to the support of their home crowds in their upcoming games. Hastings won't have much time to rest: their next match is against the Antlers at 4:15 p.m. on February 3rd. Elkhorn presents a significant challenge as they come into the match much higher ranked than the Tigers in Nebraska (the Antlers are ranked seventh, while the Tigers are ranked 135th). As for North Platte, they will be playing at home against the Bearcats at 6:00 p.m. on Friday. Scottsbluff will be looking to extend their current four-game winning streak.
