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LAUREL — The Laurel-Concord-Coleridge boys’ basketball team is in the middle of a four-game skid as it heads into the post-conference tournament segment of the season consisting of its final four regular season contests.
Ironically, the last loss for the Bears was also their last win as the Bears fell to Wakefield 49-47 in a heartbreaker in the seventh-place game of the Lewis Division Tournament of the 2024 Lewis & Clark Conference Tournament consisting of the top eight conference seeds based on the Nebraska School Activities Association (NSAA) power points.
Laurel-Concord-Coleridge defeated the Trojans back on Jan. 25, 57-53 in a regular season match up played in Laurel. The tournament game was played in Walthill on Feb. 3.
The third loss in the slide was to Wausa in the semifinals of the consolation bracket, 42-36, in a game that set the low offensive-mark for the Bears this season.
In the loss to the Trojans, the game was tight throughout, with Wakefield leading after the first frame, 13-11, the Bears nibbling into the lead by half at the intermission then the Trojans increasing the lead back to a bucket after three.
The teams played to a 7-7 stalemate in the final eight minutes and the Trojans came away with the win.
Gibson Roberts was the main offensive threat for LCC with 19 points. Eli Haisch contributed nine, including a 3-for-6 performance from beyond the 3-point arc. Landen Leonard and Conner Korth each chipped in five and Carter Kvols added four.
Kolby Hansen led the Bears with five rebounds, but they were outrebounded by the Trojans 27-18.
A lethargic first and last quarters spelled doom for the Bears in the first consolation round game with Wausa on Feb. 1.
LCC managed just five points in the opening eight minutes and six in the final period.
The Bears did score 16 points in the third stanza, but the Vikings came away with the win.
Roberts was high man in the game with 18 points, Hansen added a dozen.
Haisch added on five and Kayton Hall had free throw.
Hansen narrowly missed a double-double with nine boards, Kvols hauled down six missed shots, and Hansen had a couple of blocked shots.
Laurel-Concord-Coleridge was scheduled to return to action with a trip to Norfolk on Feb. 6 to take on 16-3 Lutheran High Northeast and will remain on the road Feb. 8 with a game at Wisner-Pilger on Feb. 8.
A makeup date with Hartington- Newcastle is set for Feb. 12 in Hartington.
Wakefield defeats Laurel-Concord Coleridge 49-47. WHS 13 10 19 7 - 49 LCC 11 11 18 7 - 47 WAKEFIELD (7-12): Johnathon Birkley 1-2 2-4 4; Anthony Valenzuela 1-3 0-4 2; Jacob Borg 6-10 4-6 16; 6-12 2-2 17; Jesse Lundahl 2-6 0-0 4; Isiah Villa 2-4 0-0 6. LAUREL-CONCORD-COLERIDGE (11 9): Bradyn Urwiler 1-3 0-0 3; Caleb Erwin 0-1 0-0 0; Landen Leonard 2-3 0-0 5; Kolby Hansen 1-6 0-0 2; Gibson Roberts 8-17 1-2 19; Eli Haisch 3-6 0-0 9; Conner Korth 2-4 0-0 5; Tyler Olson 0-4 0-0 0; Carter Kvols 2-5 0-1 4. Wausa defeats Laurel-Concord-Coleridge 42-36. WHS 12 7 12 11 - 42 LCC 5 9 16 6 - 36 WAUSA (8-8): Colton Baue 5; Mac Carlson 6; Brady Bloomquist 2; Matthew Schindler 10; Kayton Anderson 2; Cashe Carlson 3; Preston Schlote 14. LAUREL-CONCORD-COLERIDGE: Erwin 0-1 0-0 0; Leonard 0-1 0-0 0; Hansen 6-9 0-0 12; Roberts 8-17 0-0 18; Haisch 2-8 0-0 5; Kvols 0-4 0-2 0; Kayton Hall 0-1 1-2 1.
