WACO basketball rode into Lone Tree Tuesday and spoiled the Lions’ Senior Night with a sweep in the KCII Area Game of the Week.
In a pair of games heard on the KCII3 Stream, the WACO girls held on late for a big win in the opener, 45-42. After trailing by three one quarter in, the Warriors outscored Lone Tree 20-10 in the second. Emma Wagler scored seven of her eight total points in the frame, as WACO took a seven point lead into the break. Out of halftime, it was Naomi Egli and Ella Huisenga who took over for the Warriors, scoring 15-combined points in the third. Despite answering with 15, the most they scored in any quarter, Lone Tree still headed into the final eight minutes trailing by 10. A Lion team trying to keep a fifteen-game winning streak in tact had every opportunity to do so in the fourth quarter, as WACO failed to score a single point, going 0-8 from the free throw line. Outside of 15 from Finley Jacque and nine from Ava Christofferson, however, the Lone Tree offense struggled to string together makes and the Warriors were able to hand the Lions just their second loss in the Superconference and the season.
Suspense would not be as high in game two, with the Warrior boys putting the running clock on Lone Tree and cruising to a 79-43 win. The Lions were able to keep it to an 11 point game after one quarter, thanks to nine early points from Ethan Bockelman. Bockelman would end the night with 23 to lead all scorers, but WACO proved to be too much to handle on both sides of the ball. Hunter Hughes had his 20 points by the third quarter and was joined in double-figures by Chase Waterhouse and Colton Leichty who both finished with 11. Eleven was the magic number for WACO, as that’s how many Warriors scored in the game on their way to their 13th win of the season.
The WACO boys are back on the road Thursday to square off with Moravia. Both the Lone Tree and WACO programs will then compete in the Superconference Shootout to end the week.