McCOOK – As the Cozad boys basketball team prepares for its sub-district basketball game, they wanted to be playing their best basketball toward the end of the season.
Head coach Scott Foster believes they are.
“I still believe we are getting better,” Foster said. “The goal is to be playing your best ball at the end of the season, I believe we are.”
Foster hopes that the hard work can turn into some post-season wins, even after a 62-52 loss to McCook Friday night to wrap up the regular season.
Cozad began well in the first quarter, as they took a two-point lead over the Bison. McCook clawed its way back into the game and by halftime, was leading the Haymakers by a 26-24 score.
Cozad looked like a team on a mission to prove that they are on their way back, by hanging with McCook all throughout the third quarter, as Cozad cut the lead to one and trailed 40-39 after three.
McCook began to pull away in the fourth quarter, as Cozad couldn’t seal the deal down the wire, as the Bison hung on for the ten-point victory.
“Defensively, this may have been our best game,” Foster said. “We ended up giving up a lot of free throw points in the fourth quarter, so the score looked a little more lop-sided that it actually was.”
Senior Evan Worrell made sure that his final regular season game wouldn’t go unnoticed, scoring a season-high 23 points in the loss. Senior Jordan Hickenbottom put in quite an effort for his final game, scoring nine points but grabbing 10 rebounds.
The loss drops Cozad to 3-17 on the year, but definitely looking strong as they took on Southern Valley in their opening game of the C1-11 sub-district tournament Monday.
The game was closer than the first game earlier in the season, but again, Cozad couldn’t get the buckets to fall when they needed, while Southern Valley proved to be too quick on the offensive side as the Eagles ended the Haymakers season with a 43-35 victory.
Cozad struggled to get anything to fall in the first quarter, as Southern Valley raced out to an early 11-2 lead. However, the Makers didn’t go away quietly as Worrell started an early run and by half time had cut the lead to six and the Eagle led 20-14.
The second half was pretty even throughout, as both teams sank shots when needed, but in the end, Southern Valley proved to be too much as Cozad saw its season slip away and for the seniors, saw their final game end in a loss.
“Unfortunately, it was probably our worst game,“head coach Scott Foster said. “We played so much better at the end of the season, it’s just too bad that it had to end this way.”
Hickenbottom led the team with 14 points in his final game, while Worrell and Mason Fischer each contributed with seven points each.
Cozad’s season ends at 3-18, while Southern Valley moves on to take on No.1 Minden in the sub-district semi-finals.

• Cozad Boys Basketball
• Cozad Haymakers

Support your favorite teams and athletes by leaving a comment below