Storm Overpowered by Paxton, 71-26

Creek Valley's Storm Basketball team was able to outlast Minatare last week to advance to the Subdistrict D1-12 finals, but faced a tall and athletic Paxton team that had already defeated them by over 20 points earlier in the season. The 18-and-3 Tigers made short work of the Storm, blasting off on a 16-to-0 run to open the game on their way to a 22-to-6 score by the end of the first quarter. The Storm's Patrick Hansen and Justin Ningen tried to use their speed to find openings in the defense while Oakley Hodges attempted outside shots, but the big and fast Tigers kept rolling and held a 40-to-14 lead by the half.

A rousing 22 point third quarter by Paxton buried the Storm's chances for a comeback, and the Tigers coasted through the fourth quarter to secure the 71-to-26 victory, and advance to the District Finals against Wauneta-Palisade. The Storm simply did not have the size and the speed to stay with Paxton, but fought through the entire game with great effort. Junior Justin Ningen led the Storm scoring with 13 points, and the tough Tiger defense held senior Patrick Hansen to just six points in his final high school game. Oakley Hodges had come up with timely three point hits all year, but went 0-for-8 beyond the arc against the tough Tiger's defense. The Storm were out-rebounded 37-to-18 in the loss. The Storm finish the season with a 4-and-17 record.