Slow start dooms Cyclones at Sokol

 OMAHA, NEB. (Jan. 25) -- Harlan Community fell behind 30-12 and never recovered at D.J. Sokol Arena last Saturday, losing to the Wahoo Bishop Neumann boys 65-40 as part of the Nebraska Prep Classic.
 HCHS (9-4) trailed 33-18 at the half and was outscored 20-12 in the third quarter, shooting 29 percent for the game and turning the ball over 15 times.
 Bishop Neumann, ranked ninth in Nebraska’s Class C-1, hit five of its first seven three-pointers and never trailed, improving to 10-3 on the season.
 HCHS head coach Mitch Osborn noted that it was a very tough week playing four games in six days against good competition. He added that he was proud of how the team kept playing hard.
 “Neumann plays a very tough 1-3-1 zone that we cannot simulate in practice due to their size and length,” said Osborn. “We dug a deep hole at half and just could not mount a run on them in the third quarter."
 According to Osborn, Neumann entered the game shooting 25 percent from three-point range but made 8-of-15 treys Saturday. Teagan Ahrens led the Cavaliers with 19 points on the day, David Lilly scored 16 and Taylen Pospisil had 11.
 For the Cyclones, Michael Erlemeier scored 10 points (all in second half), followed by Brad Curren with eight off the bench. Connor Bruck and Johnathan Monson both scored six points and Michael Heithoff had five.