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LAUREL - The Laurel-Concord-Coleridge boys' basketball team split a pair of games to open 2024 when the Bears dropped a game to Cedar Catholic here in Laurel on Jan. 4, 50-40 then hit the road to win a thriller over Winnebago the following night, 49-48.
In the win over the Indians, Laurel-Concord- Coleridge sprinted out to a 28-20 lead at the intermission, before Winnebago hung around until the final buzzer.
Down the stretch, the Bears scored just enough points to come away with the hardfought victory.
Gibson Roberts paced the Bears offense with 14 points on the night, Tyler Olson and Kayton Hall each added nine and Kolby Hansen and Connor Korth had four points apiece.
Hall grabbed 11 rebounds while Hansen swept the boards for six. Carter Kvols pulled down four missed shots.
Korth and Olson each swiped three steals and Hansen dished out three assists.
It was the second time in six days when the Bears and Trojans met here in Laurel after the teams met in the semifinals of the Great Northeast Nebraska Shootout in Wayne back on Dec. 29.
That game went to Cedar Catholic 55-49 before this latest contest finished with the 50-40 final.
Cedar Catholic outscored the Bears in every frame beginning with a 15-12 advantage after the opening eight minutes.
The lead was extended by four before the intermission and grew to nine by heading into the final stanza where the Trojans added a point to the Laurel-Concord-Coleridge deficit.
Olson had the hot hand on the night with 15 points, the lone Bear in double digits. Hansen tossed in nine , Hall added six and Kvols chipped in four.
Hansen had six caroms, Hall grabbed five missed shots.
Laurel-Concord-Coleridge was scheduled to hit the road Jan. 9 when it was to travel to Wayne to take on the 10-3 Blue Devils but those plans were wiped out by a snowstorm.
The Bears have a home date with undefeated Walthill on Jan. 12 before a trip to Hartington-Newcastle Jan. 16.
LCC (9-3) 17 11 7 14 - 49 Win (3-7) 9 11 8 20 - 48 LAUREL-CONCORD-COLERIDGE: Bradyn Urwiler 1-3 0-0 3; Caleb Erwin 1-1 1-2 3; Kolby Hansen 1-6 2-4 4; Eli Haisch 1-4 1-2 3; Gibson Roberts 4-6 3-4 14; Connor Korth 2-4 0-2 4; Tyler Olson 3-10 1-2 9; Carter Kvols 0-1 0-2 0; Kayton Hall 4-10 1-2 9; Cade Johnson 1-2 0-0 2. Cedar Catholic 15 10 9 16 — 50 Laurel-Concord-Coleridge 12 6 3 19 — 40
P=Points, R=Rebounds, A=Assists, S=Steals, B=Blocks.
CEDAR CATHOLIC (8-3): Alex Kuehn 3-11 0-4 6P, 11R, 4A, 2S; Jaymison Cattau 1-5 0-0 3P, 3R, 2A, 1B; Nolan Becker 6-16 2-6 14P, 5R, 2A, 5S; Ty Thoene 3-5 1-4 8P, 4A, 2S; Mason Baller 2-2 1-2 7P, 2R, 1A, 2S; Braeden Reifenrath 3-5 2-4 10P, 7R, 4A, 2S, 1B; Jacob Steffen 0-2 2-2 2P, 3R.
LAUREL-CONCORD-COLERIDGE (9-3): Bradyn Urwiler 0-2 0-0 0P, 2R, 1S; Kolby Hansen 4-8 1-1 9P, 6R, 1S; Gibson Roberts 1-8 0-0 3P, 2R, 2A; Eli Haisch 1-2 0-2 3P, 2R, 2S; Connor Korth 0-0 0-0 0P, 1R; Tyler Olson 5-9 2-2 15P, 1R, 2A, 2S; Carter Kvols 2-7 0-0 4P, 1R, 2B; Kayton Hall 3-6 0-0 6P, 5R, 1A; Cade Johnson 0-1 0-0 0P, 3R.
