Story by NPCC Athletic Communications
North Platte, Neb. – Breonna Shelby notched her first career double-double, posting 12 points and 11 rebounds to power North Platte to an 84-50 win over Hastings College JV on Tuesday night.
Reece Yahn recorded her second double-double of the season with 10 points on 5-of-13 shooting from the field to accompany her 10 rebounds. Alexa Stevens led all scorers with 21 points, while Dezirae Gonzales rounded out the North Platte players in double figures with 12 points.
"It was nice to see the ball go in tonight," said head coach Jeff Thurman. "I thought we played well defensively in the second half."
The opening quarter was tightly contested, but the Knights broke things open in the second with a 16–2 run sparked by an old-fashioned three-point play from Aliyah Herron. Hastings briefly halted the run with back-to-back threes, but North Platte maintained control and carried a 45–29 lead into halftime.
North Platte kept the pressure on to open the third quarter, stringing together an 8-0 run capped by a deep three from Shelby. Hastings eventually settled in and found some rhythm from long range but still faced a 64-41 deficit headed into the fourth quarter.
In the final quarter, North Platte’s defense clamped down, holding the Broncos to just nine points while stretching their lead to 34 by the final buzzer.
"We need to carry this momentum into this weekend as we travel to Riverton and play two tough Region 9 North teams," Thurman said.
Knights (3-8) return to action on Friday in the Holiday Classic Presented by Hampton Inn in Riverton, Wyo. North Platte opens the tournament with Central Wyoming College at 8 p.m. inside the Rustler Gym.