GIRLS  - Sabetha, 26, Nemaha Valley 20

BOYS - Sabetha 56, Nemaha Valley 43

Maybe a little rust or nerves were present to start the 2014 portion of the high school basketball season on Friday night in Sabetha as the girls varsity game was scoreless after one full quarter.  Sabetha made it 2-0 with 4:45 to play in the second stanza and was ahead 10-0 before NV got their first point with only 1:37 left in the half. 

The Jays took a 12-6 lead into halftime and held on for the pivotal win in a battle of two undefeated Big 7 League teams.  Alexis McAfee scored the first six points for the Bluejays and finished with 9 while fellow sophomores, Taryn Schuette (Player to Bank On) added 8 and Mariah Huneke 4.  Sabetha improved to 4-1 overall while Nemaha Valley dropped to 4-2.  Rachel Baumgartner scored all 6 of her team-high points in the final quarter while Brianna Delaney added 5 in the contest that both teams struggled mightily to get the ball to go down the cylinder. 

The Sabetha boys jumped to a quick 10-3 lead thanks to Jacob Frey, who put up 10 initial points as the Jays jumped on the Raiders with transition and fast-break points early.  Sabetha led 24-17 at halftime and Nemaha Valley only got as close as 46-40 after starting the fourth quarter on a 10-2 run.  The Raiders had seven fewer turnovers in the contest but were uncharacteristicly plagued by 11 of 25 shooting at the foul-line and 0-11 behind the arc. 

Frey scored 15 of his 18 in the first half for Sabetha to earn Citizens State Bank and Trust Company "Player to Bank On" honors.  Gaven Schumann added 9 of his 11 points in the third quarter and Kellen Russell chipped in 10.  Calder Keehn also had nine as Sabetha won the battle of unbeatens, improving to 5-0 overall and 3-0 a top the Big 7 League with Holton.  NV is 5-1 and 3-1 on the year as got a team high 11 points from Matt Haverkamp is Friday night's defeat.  Both teams are ranked in Class 3A and will play again February 18th in Seneca.