Courtesy of Midland Athletics
FREMONT, Neb. — Midland University hosted Hastings College for a Great Plains Athletic Conference matchup on Wednesday night. The Warriors earned a hard-fought 78-72 win with a balanced attack.
Jeff Rozelle III opened the game with a layup, with the Broncos quickly countering with one of their own. Nick Dolezal and Amari Rahaman combined for a 4-0 run, but Hastings responded with an 8-3 run that included back-to-back 3-pointers to take a 10-8 lead. Rozelle III and Rahaman each knocked down a 3-pointer during a 6-2 run, putting Midland back in front 14-12 as the Warriors called a timeout.
After the short break, Hastings fired off two consecutive 3-pointers as part of an 8-2 run to retake the lead, 20-16. Rahaman and Butch Lordeus sparked a 5-2 run to tie the game at 21-21, prompting another Midland timeout. Out of the break, Hastings sank two free throws before Lordeus heated up, scoring five straight points. A basket from Jake Orr extended the lead to 28-23, forcing a Hastings timeout.
With four minutes left in the first half, Midland maintained its energy, using a 6-2 run to stretch the lead to 34-25. Hastings closed with back-to-back baskets, but Midland headed into halftime ahead 34-29.
After intermission, Dolezal opened the second half with a layup as both teams traded baskets. Lordeus and Rozelle III hit from beyond the arc to keep the Warriors in front 47-38. Hastings answered with a 5-0 run, trimming the deficit to five and prompting a Midland timeout.
Following the break, Lordeus and Trey McCain combined for a 5-1 burst to create separation once again. The teams continued exchanging baskets until Lordeus and McCain connected once more for a 7-0 run, extending the lead to 61-49 as Hastings called timeout.
After the break, Hastings responded with a 9-0 run to cut the deficit to 61-58. Three Midland free throws and a McCain 3-pointer pushed the lead back to 67-58. Hastings put together a 4-0 run before Orr sparked a 6-0 stretch—scoring five points himself—to extend the lead to 73-62. The Broncos continued to battle, using a 5-0 run to make it 73-67 entering the final minute.
Midland added three more free throws to go up 76-67. Hastings answered with another 5-0 run to pull within four with 38 seconds left, but the Warriors closed the game at the free-throw line to secure the 78-72 victory.
Lordeus led Midland with 23 points. Rozelle III recorded a double-double with 13 points and 12 rebounds. McCain added 12, Dolezal 11, Rahaman 10, and Orr finished with 9 points and 9 assists.
Midland shot 27-of-50 (54%), while Hastings went 24-of-55 (43.6%). The Warriors won the rebounding battle 36-23.
“It’s never perfect. Basketball is a game of runs, but we fought hard and handled adversity, which is really good for us,” Lordeus said. “I’m just happy for my team and excited we got the win. One game at a time—that’s the mindset.”
“Defense has been a point of emphasis for us,” head coach Tyler Erwin said. “We’ve really done a good job of buying in and understanding that energy and effort have to start on defense. When we rebound, we can change the flow of the game on both ends. Jake Orr is leading us in assists, and he knows he doesn’t need the pressure of scoring every possession because he can rely on his teammates. Proud of the guys tonight.”
Midland (4-5, 2-2 GPAC) will host Waldorf (3-7, 0-3 GPAC) on Saturday, Dec. 6, for Suhr Scholarship Night. Tipoff is scheduled for 3:45 p.m. inside the Wikert Event Center.
