By TYLER HENRY
Lead Sportswriter - Salina Post
On Tuesday, Ellsworth played host to Minneapolis on the hardwood in an all-NCAA doubleheader that would see the four teams split two games on the night.
On the girl’s side, the Lady Lions would come back to knock off Ellsworth 48-35, while on the boy’s side, the Bearcats held off a late Lion advance to win 50-43.
Girls: Minneapolis 48, Ellsworth 35
The Lady Bearcats wasted no time jumping on Minneapolis early in this game, opening the contest on a 6-0 run after winning the tip.
It was a turnover fest early on, with both teams struggling to hold onto the ball, and after the opening flurry, no field goals would be scored for the last 6:00 of the opening quarter.
Minneapolis would be held without a single field goal in the first quarter and had just two at halftime, where they trailed 18-9.
Halftime adjustments worked like a charm for the Lady Lions, who came roaring out of the intermission, outscoring Ellsworth 23-9 in the third quarter to come back and pull away down the stretch.
Ellsworth’s Alexis Moore led all scorers with 18 points, including 12 in the second half, but in the final two quarters, the rest of her team chipped in just five total points in the loss.
Minneapolis meanwhile spread their scoring more evenly with 11-point performances from Baylee Randall-Hurt and Riley Robinson, 9 from Braedee Weatherman, 8 from Maci McClure and 7 from Josi Schrader.
Minneapolis improves to 4-1 on the year, while Ellsworth falls to 3-2.
Boys: Minneapolis 43, Ellsworth 50
In a battle between two teams looking to find their footing early in the year the Bearcats were able to hold off a late Lion charge in the fourth quarter to come away with a huge home win.
Just like in the first game, Ellsworth opened on a 8-0 run, but Minneapolis quickly closed the gap to four at the end of the first.
That lead would be trimmed to two going into halftime, and at the intermission just five total players had scored in a battle between Cooper McGowan and Owen Just.
Both stars found themselves in foul trouble in the second half, and the supporting casts for both squads stepped up with Zach Nelson and Tucker Goss each nailing two huge third-quarter threes.
The Lions cut the lead to five points twice in the fourth quarter, but a fifth foul for Owen Just and seven points down the stretch for Ethan Tully sealed the deal for the Bearcats.
Just would lead all scorers for Minneapolis with 20 points, joined in double figures by Zach Nelson (11).
Ellsworth meanwhile got 19 from Dax Leiker, including 14 in the second half, 15 from McGowan, 8 from Goss and 7 from Tully.
The Bearcats improve to 3-2 while Minneapolis slides to 1-4.