It wasn't easy and certainly a quality game for both teams who had coasted to the 33rd Raider Classic Championship game.  However, Falls City could not overcome foul-trouble and hit a big shot to take the lead as Nemaha Valley captured their tourney title for the third straight year (15th overall) and stay undefeated on the season (12-0).  

Falls City led by as many as 3 points in a back and forth first quarter but NV took an 11-9 advantage into the second and never trailed again.  The Tigers cut the deficit to 23-22 in the second quarter but the Raiders answered with 9 straight points to grab their biggest lead of the game, 32-22.  NV was up 32-26 at halftime and Falls City got five straight points from Cord Huettner to make it 32-31 but couldn't grab the lead and also got within 40-39 later in the third quarter and had the ball down just two points in the fourth quarter.

Nemaha Valley answered every Falls City run, also taking advantage of the Tigers fouls to hit 18 of 24 free throws and seal the deal. Creighton Brinker played with strong passion and scored 16 to finish the tourney with 40 total points to earn "Player to Bank On" honors from the Citizens State Bank and Trust Company of Hiawatha.  Justice McKernan added 10, while Trent Olberding and Caleb Meyer both scored 9.  

Falls City, now 16-2, (with loses to a Missouri and Kansas school) had a trio of players foul out, and got most of their scoring from Huettner (24 points) and Mitchell Harling (13 points).  

Earlier action Saturday in Seneca had Marysville winning the third place game 53-32 against Troy, while Jackson Heights topped Hiawatha 51-42 to place fifth and Horton prevailed in the seventh place contest 62-43 against St. Mary's.