Lady Raiders Continue Hot Streak

Sidney's Lady Raider Girls Basketball team improved their record to an impressive 19-and-1 on the season with three more big wins, putting them in a strong position for post-season tournament play.

The week started with the Lady Raiders hosting Yuma, in a rescheduled game postponed due to snow. The Yuma was ranked fourth in 3A in Colorado, but after a tough and well-played first quarter saw the Yuma team with a one point lead at 15-to-14, the Sidney girls clamped down on defense and got hot shooting, pulling away in the second quarter to take a 32-to 26 lead at the half.

The Sidney defense took control in the third quarter, generating turnovers and limiting the Yuma offense to just five points, while putting up 22 points in the quarter. The Lady Raiders cruised through the fourth quarter for a 66-to-41 victory. Sophomore Kayla Westby led the scoring for Sidney with 17 points in the win.

On Friday, Sidney hosted rival Gering for Senior Night, and a packed house watched the Lady Raiders defense smother the taller Gering Lady Bulldog squad. After Sidney opened a 4-to-0 lead to start the game, Gering fired back with five point to take a 5-to-4 lead early. That was all the scoring the Gering girls would have for quite some time as Sidney went on a 12 point run to end the quarter at 16-to-5, then continued to score to open the second quarter, opening a 22-to-7 lead when Gering finally hit a field goal about halfway through the second period. The Lady Bulldogs couldn't beat the Sidney press, and the Lady Raiders were sharp from the field, scoring both inside and from long distance. Up 34-to-8 at the half, the Lady Raiders cruised through the second half for the dominating 51-to-30 win. 10 of 13 players from Sidney scored in the game, again led by Westby with 8 points.

On Saturday, the Lady Raiders hosted a Scottsbluff Lady Bearcats team that had won twelve games in a row and were ranked 7 in Class B, compared with Sidney's number 3 ranking in Class B. The Lady Bearcats came into the contest trying to deliver a message that they were the team to beat in Class B. Sidney showed them they still had a ways to go to compete with the Lady Raiders.. After sharpshooters Payton Burda and Anna Kelley each hit a three point shot to give the Lady Bearcats an 8-to-2 early lead, the Lady Raiders shut down their outside shooting and went on a big run to take a 19-to-12 lead at the end of the first quarter. Sidney poured it on in the second quarter, with senior Reese Riddle carving up the middle for 11 points in the period and giving Sidney a big 39-to-19 lead at the half. The lady Raiders again cruised through the second half on their way to a big 70-to-39 win. Riddle led the scoring for Sidney with 22 points, followed by Westby with 13 points in the victory. Sidney wraps up the regular season at home, with a game against Chadron on Friday, Holdrege on Saturday and Alliance on Tuesday, February 14.