Platte County finishes 4th at Kearney’s Bulldog Classic after stopping skid

In by far the longest second of a so-far difficult season, Platte County endured the uncertainty and finished off a much-needed victory. The Pirates went back and forth to earn a 71-67 victory over North Platte in a Bulldog Classic pool game Wednesday at Kearney High School with junior Jordy Moore hitting the go-ahead 3-pointer in the final minute.

Moore and senior point guard Jayden Martin combined for 30 points to help Platte County (3-10) end a seven-game losing streak but not until a timing error led to 1 second remaining on the clock for an abnormally long amount of time, especially considering the circumstances.

“It means a lot. We haven’t got one in a while so it feels good to get one, get the confidence back going,” said Martin, who scored 12 of his 14 points in the second half.

North Platte senior guard Brendan Matt poured in a game-high 33 points and hit five of his six 3-pointers in the second half to give the Panthers multiple leads. He opened the fourth quarter with a four-point play to put Platte County behind for the second time after halftime. The Pirates answered with a 3 from junior reserve point guard Andrew Parrish.

That marked the first of four straight shots hit from beyond the arc for both teams with Matt hitting a pair sandwich around another for Martin to give North Platte (12-3) a 59-58 lead at that point.

“Great player, hitting great shots,” Martin said of Matt.

Platte County took a timeout with 5 minutes, 40 seconds left in regulation and then survived a scoring drought of nearly 2 minutes. The Pirates went back ahead on the fourth of four 3-pointers for junior guard Jacoby Keith, who finished with 15 points.

The lead changes were fast and furious the rest of the way.

Matt’s putback of his own miss became the next before Martin answered and Moore split a pair of free throws to put Platte County up 64-62. North Platte senior Dylan Armstrong missed a free throw on a three-point play opportunity that would have put the Panthers back in front, and Martin assisted junior forward Brock Dye on an inside basket.

That two-point advantage only lasted until North Platte junior guard Jase Smith hit a 3-pointer with 49 seconds left to give the Panthers a 67-65 advantage and put Platte County in danger of seeing the losing skid continue. Less than a week earlier, the Pirates trailed Truman by two late, and Martin’s last-second shot bounced off the rim and out.

This time, Platte County’s fate seemingly came down to two free throws for junior guard Elijah Hockaday, coming off the bench lately with Moore back up to speed after joining the roster late while helping the Pirates to a second straight state championship in football. Hockaday missed both, but Dye, who scored a career-high 10 points, tipped out a rebound to Martin, who set up Moore in the left corner for the eventual game-winning 3-pointer.

“It’s nice to have Jordy. He can pick up some of the slack I drop some times — great player, great athlete. Big shot for us,” Martin said.

On the other end, Matt missed a layup, and Moore’s split of two free throws put Platte County up 70-67 with just 8 seconds on the clock.

Matt took the inbounds pass on North Platte’s final full possession but passed to Smith, who misfired on a potential game-tying 3. He finished with 13 points — all in the second half.

“I was surprised to see (Matt) get rid of it,” Martin said.

Platte County came down with the rebound but a timing error led to officials putting 1 second on the clock.

North Platte fouled Martin before the ensuing inbounds pass, and his split of two free throws iced the win. The Pirates held on after leading the majority of the way, leaning on Keith, Moore and a pair of timely 3s from role players to keep pace until Martin found his scoring touch in the second half.

Platte County led 19-16 after the first quarter thanks to a 3-pointer apiece from Keith,, Hockaday and junior guard Isaac Nelson, who spent much of the game in foul trouble. Matt’s lone 3 of the first half pulled North Platte within 25-24, but sophomore reserve MaCallen McMillian and Keith answered with 3s to put the Pirates up 7 just before halftime.

The 3s for Nelson and McMillian were their only baskets, while Hockaday scored four and senior reserve forward Bryton Bertam added his only two in the opening quarter.

“Had guys coming in late, still getting the pieces together, and this is a new group,” Martin said. “It’s been tough, but we’re getting it together. We’re getting there for sure.”

Platte County led 32-26 at halftime, and Dye scored right out of the break to put the Pirates up 8 before a lull in offense rested an opening.

North Platte briefly went up 40-38 on a 3 from Matt with 4:04 left in the third quarter. Platte County scored the next five, including a go-ahead 3 for Martin, only for another Matt 3 to pull the Panthers even at 45-45.

Parrish then hit the first of his two critical 3-pointers late in the third quarter to put Platte County ahead 50-47 with the second providing a needed answer to Matt’s four-point play early in the fourth.

“It’s great, get his confidence going, too,” Martin said. “Sometimes, he don’t see the floor a lot, but he was a key player in the game today — getting stops, hitting those two 3s.”

Platte County entered off of a 64-33 pool loss Tuesday night to host Kearney with the Bulldogs scoring more in the first half (36) than the Pirates’ eventual total. Moore scored 14 and Parrish added eight with Martin limited to just five.

That marked the seventh straight loss for Platte County after starting the season 2-1 in the Savannah Invitational. The Pirates were unable to make it two straight tournaments closing with back-to-back wins and finished fourth after a 52-49 loss in Friday’s third-place game.

Platte County now earns a quick shot at redemption in a road game this Friday at Smithville (11-3) after hosting Grain Valley on Tuesday in a Suburban Conference White Division matchup.