Abbie Anderson's Warrior Classic all-star basketball team won a 23-point rout Saturday night at the Wikert Event Center in Fremont.
Aiden Foreman and Brant Hilzendeger's, meanwhile, had to play overtime on the campus of Midland University. The Washington County hoopers' Dark squad was victorious over the Light, though, 97-95.
“I thought it was a good game,” said Hilzendeger, a Fort Calhoun graduate and future Warrior. “Fun atmosphere.”
“It's always good to be on the winning side,” added Foreman, a now-former Arlington Eagle and future Hastings College Bronco.
Their Dark squad only had a chance to win in extra time after Colton Uhing of Elkhorn tied the game with a 3-point make at the end of regulation. The long-range bucket evened the score at 78 with 12 seconds remaining.
From there, a back-and-forth shootout emerged with each side delivering from beyond the arc. Wahoo's Trevor Kasischke twice gave the Light squad three-point leads in OT before the Dark answered each time. In the end, another Uhing 3 put the Washington County athletes' team ahead 95-94 before it ultimately held on.
Kasischke led all scorers with 27 points, the White's Brady Timm notched 25 and Uhing scored 20. Hilzendeger, meanwhile, scored six on back-to-back 3-point makes in the first half. Foreman scored two points with six rebounds.
After playing together Saturday, the longtime friends — who were two-year teammates at AHS, too — will go back to being conference rivals at Midland and Hastings, respectively.
“It'll be different because it'll be at the next level,” Foreman said. “But nothing's really going to change.”
Hilzendeger agreed.
“Good competition,” he said. “Been friends forever. It's always a fun battle.”
Together or at odds, the all-stars have always enjoyed it.
“It was fun to play together one last time,” Foreman said.
Anderson scores 12 in win
Before the boys' game, Anderson's Light squad dominated its Warrior Classic contest, winning 93-70. It led 46-31 at the half and built onto that lead with the former Fort Calhoun Pioneer scoring 12 points.
“I thought it was a really cool experience,” Anderson said. She also pulled down five rebounds and had two assists. “I got to meet a lot of people I'd usually play against. Now, we're actually on a team.”
Fremont Bergan's Lauren Baker led that winning lineup with 23 points, while Ashley Ostrand of Pender notched 21.
“It was a really cool experience,” Anderson said. “I'd do it again.”
The FCHS grad appeared in midseason form during the second half of Saturday's game, driving to the rim at will and finishing her shots at the hoop. She was 6-for-7 from the floor and kicked the ball out of the lane to open shooters when her own looks weren't open. Her final hoop came on a short, pull-up jumper with just about a minute remaining.
“I'd just dribble into spaces and no one would be there,” Anderson commented.
All told, the former Pioneer enjoyed her all-star experience in Fremont after her senior year at FCHS finished up in February.
“It sucked at the end of the (high school) season to have to lose a game,” she said.
Thanks to the Warrior Classic, Anderson was able to cap her career on a high note instead.
“It was nice to end on a win in basketball,” she said.
Next up, the FCHS grad will join the College of Saint Mary soccer program.
