Lady Raiders smother Bridgeport, 65-37

BRIDGEPORT – Sarah Mahr scored 14 first-half points, and Sidney High School’s girls basketball team used its depth and pressure to smother host Bridgeport, 65-37, Friday night.

“Mahr’s our little energizer,” SHS coach Tyler Shaw said. “She comes in and runs the floor and provides us with some solid defense. Tonight, she was able to score for us.”

SHS (11-3) wore down the Lady Bulldogs (5-8) in waves: Shaw was constantly switching up his 10-player rotation – five at a time - and while the hosts tried to counter by changing up their own personnel, that move was of little consequence.

“The whole lot, the first and second five, played well together tonight,” Shaw said. “I was a little nervous coming in here tonight. Up here, you’re dealing with a small floor and there’s not a lot of room along the baseline. For the most part, the girls did a good job.”

Bridgeport had limited success in throwing over the top of Sidney’s press early on, but once that adjustment was made, the Raiders had little trouble forcing turnovers and getting their transition game going.

Sidney held an 8-4 lead midway through the first quarter, but gained some separation when Mahr buried a 3-point shot off the left wing, then put back a missed shot after the Raiders forced a turnover.

Mahr’s scores were part of 12 unanswered points by SHS, which parlayed the surge to a 20-6 lead at the first break.

Sidney continued to build its lead in the second quarter, and fittingly, the first half ended with Mahr sinking two free throws, good for a 36-16 Raiders lead at intermission.

The pile-on made its way into the second half, and Sidney’s lead mushroomed to as much as 32 points down the stretch.

Shaw was particularly pleased with the final play of the third quarter. Segelke blocked a shot, and the Raiders got the ball down the floor in time for Madi Malzahn to beat the buzzer with a 3-point goal, giving SHS a 56-25 command at the third stop.

“I was pleased with that sequence,” Shaw said. “We were able to turn our defense into instant offense. We told Madi to have her feet set there, because we knew she was going to get a shot.”

Segelke added 13 points for Sidney, which plays this afternoon at Scottsbluff.

Sidney 65, Bridgeport 37

SIDNEY (11-3)

Porter 2 0-0 4, Mahr 5 3-5 15, Krueger 1 0-0 3, Malzahn 2 0-0 4, Segelke 4 5-7 13, Cole 2 0-0 5, Price 1 0-0 2, Rowley 2 1-2 5, AStafford 1 0-0 2, Linneman 2 2-2 6, Heeren 2 2-4 6. Totals 24 13-20 65

BRIDGEPORT (5-8)

Harding 5 0-1 11, JeKildow 3 0-0 6, Huck 0 2-2 2, Cantu 2 0-2 5, Aguilar 1 0-0 2, Dudden 3 1-2 7, Ernest 1 0-0 2. Totals 16 3-7 35

3-point goals – Sidney 4 (Mahr 2, Cole, Krueger), Bridgeport 2 (Harding, Cantu). Team fouls – Sidney 11, Bridgeport 13.