Knights shoot past Bobcats to remain unbeaten in region play

Lincoln, Neb. – Freshman Madison Cheleen had a career-high 17 points to lead North Platte to an 81-52 win over Southeast Community College on Saturday afternoon.

Cheleen's 17 points came on 5-of-14 shooting from the field, while Jada Thompson added 16 points and six rebounds in 21 minutes of action. Nariah Golden chipped in seven points to accompany her 10 steals and nine assists.

"I am proud of our effort on the defensive end, even after a slow start," said head coach Jeff Thurman.

North Platte never trailed in the game as they jumped out to a 10-2 lead on a jumper by Sa'Naii May. A three from Britney Klein cut the deficit in half, but the Knights closed out the final 3:27 with a short run to stretch their lead to 15-8 at the end of the first quarter.

Strong defense aided in a 7-0 run to begin the second quarter, while the margin extended into double digits. Southeast shook off the rust and utilized a run midway through the quarter to cut the deficit to 29-27. A layup from Thompson triggered a 9-3 run that gave the Knights an eight-point lead at the break.

Teams were cold in the early moments of the third quarter, until a baseline jumper from Nariah Golden ignited a 17-3 run that stretched into the fourth quarter. The Knights offense continued to roll as they scored 28 points in the final ten minutes to close out the win.

In the win, the Knights claim the top seed in the Region IX postseason tournament and an automatic bid to the championship game on March 1. North Platte will host the winner of the semifinal matchup between Southeast and Central on Feb. 26.

Knights (16-10, 3-0 Region IX) return home on Tuesday to take on Lamar Community College. Tip is set for 5 p.m. inside the McDonald-Belton Gymnasium.