By Marisa Dawson
The Bennington Badgers boys and girls basketball teams enjoyed a productive week, highlighted by dominant home victories against Lincoln Northwest on January 13.
Standout Home Wins vs. Lincoln Northwest
The boys’ team delivered a commanding performance in their home matchup, defeating Lincoln Northwest 76-50. Bennington built a strong lead early, jumping out to a 16-7 advantage after the first quarter and extending it to 38-18 by halftime. They continued the dominance in the third, pushing the margin to 64-36 before cruising in the fourth. Blaize Jung led the way with an impressive 29 points, while Jonas Neuverth added 14 points and 6 assists, and Landon McCarville chipped in 13 points. The Badgers excelled in ball control (just 2 turnovers) and forced 16 from their opponents, showcasing sharp shooting and near-perfect free-throw accuracy (90.2%). This victory improved Bennington’s record to 7-5 and provided a strong bounce-back on the home court.
The girls’ team was even more decisive, overwhelming Lincoln Northwest with a resounding 89-17 victory at home. Bennington exploded for 30 points in the first quarter alone (holding Lincoln Northwest to just 2) and never looked back, outscoring them in every period. The offense was balanced and efficient (53% FG, 47% from three), supported by exceptional team play: 32 assists, 24 steals, and strong rebounding. Standout performances included Haydin Jackson with a team-high 18 points, Macie Reiner posting a double-double of 16 points and 10 rebounds (plus 6 assists and 5 steals), and Harper Bohaboj contributing 10 points, 7 assists, and 7 steals. The defense was suffocating throughout, limiting Lincoln Northwest to single digits in each quarter and demonstrating the Badgers’ depth, versatility, and relentless pressure.
Girls’ head coach John O’Connor was thrilled with the focused effort, especially coming off a tough road stretch. “I thought our girls came in with a very focused mindset on a fast start, good defensive effort, and continuing to find ways to get better every day,” he said. He also reflected on the value of the recent travel: “Our trip out west was a good experience for the team. It’s good to have that kind of opportunity to compete against teams we don’t normally get to play. We’ve been road warriors with that trip and out to St. Joseph, MO the weekend before. Our girls had fun and those trips are good for spending time together as a team. It’s been good for us overall and we are glad to be back home for a couple of home games.”
These home triumphs against Lincoln Northwest capped off a busy stretch and showcased the teams’ ability to control games from start to finish on both ends of the floor.
Earlier Road Games
Prior to the home stand, both squads were on the road for back-to-back games in western Nebraska.
For the boys:
– On January 9, they fell to Scottsbluff 58-71, despite solid efforts from Landon McCarville (19 points, including 6 threes) and Blaize Jung (14 points).
– They rebounded strongly on January 10 with a convincing 79-52 win over Gering, led by Landon McCarville’s 24 points and Blaize Jung’s 15 points with 7 rebounds and 6 assists.
For the girls:
– They started strong on January 9 with a solid 61-39 victory over Scottsbluff, powered by Harper Bohaboj’s 15 points, 6 rebounds, and 6 assists.
– The momentum continued on January 10 with an impressive 90-50 rout of Gering, featuring big nights from Skylar Johnson (24 points), Haydin Jackson (14 points), and Macie Reiner (21 points, 11 rebounds).
Overall, it was a week of competitive basketball for Bennington, with five wins and one loss. The impressive home sweeps against Lincoln Northwest, marked by explosive offense, tenacious defense, and standout individual contributions, served as the clear highlights and momentum-builders. With key players stepping up consistently, the Badgers appear poised for a strong push as the season progresses.
