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http://www.neprepzone.com/sports/pa...cle_aecdae22-2866-56ce-9a69-782ace41008e.html
Column by Mike Patterson / World-Herald staff writer
It’s been a memorable senior season for Kearney’s Skyler Snider, one of the top scorers in Class A.
Averaging just under 20 points, the Seton Hall recruit recently became the school’s career scoring leader. She also secured a nice NBA souvenir a few months ago from the Chicago Bulls’ Derrick Rose, but more on that later.
The 5-foot-10 guard has played an important role for the Bearcats since her freshman year. She has helped Kearney reach the state tournament each of the past two years and hopes to make it three straight.
RICK TUCKER/WORLD-HERALD NEWS SERVICE
Kearney’s Skyler Snider, right, scored 31 points last Saturday to move past Nicole Arp and become the Bearcats’ career scoring leader. Snider has 1,300 career points
.
“It’s been a fun year,” she said. “I’ve got a good feeling about this team, and we’re all working hard to get back to state.”
The Bearcats (12-7) have had their moments, including a win two weeks ago over defending Class A champion Omaha Westside. But it was a home game against another Metro Conference school — Papillion-La Vista South — that guarantees Snider’s place in Kearney history.
In that game last Saturday, she moved past Nicole Arp to become the Bearcats’ all-time scoring leader. Kearney lost 68-62, but Snider said it was a night she’ll always remember.
“I knew going into the game that I needed eight points to break the record,” she said. “I was really pumped because I had a chance to get it at home.”
Those home games have taken on added meaning because the Bearcats will play next season at the new Kearney High School. These are the final games at the venerable gym, and fans have come out in force to see the Bearcats in their old digs one last time.
“Our crowds have been awesome this year,” Snider said. “I think it’s surprised some teams when they show up and the place is packed.”
It was like that when Snider went after the record. But against the No. 9 Titans, she only had five first-half points.
“That was brutal,” she said. “Luckily, I got things going after that.”
Things changed in the second half as Snider went on a tear. She scored 26 and finished with a career-high 31.
Sometime during that hot stretch, she moved past Arp. Snider now has 1,300 career points.
“They were going to stop the game when she set the record, but we were on a roll,” Kearney coach Jason Boyd said. “They announced it at the end of the (third) quarter.”
Snider said she thinks she knows which shot broke the record.
“It was a jumper from the top of the key,” she said. “I give a lot of credit to my coaches and team because getting that record was pretty cool.”
That was the high point in a season that began on a shaky note when Snider reinjured her back in a car accident. That was the night she attended the Bulls’ Oct. 23 exhibition game against the Dallas Mavericks in Lincoln — and ended up with Rose’s warm-up T-shirt.
“We were high-fiving the Bulls as they were coming out onto the court,” she said. “He just handed it to me.”
Snider said she was able to watch the game, but her back stiffened up the next day. She missed the first two weeks of practice and got off to a slow start, but is back in peak form now.
She also is set for the future after accepting her Seton Hall scholarship. A coach from the Big East school located in New Jersey noticed Snider while she was playing in a tournament for her club team, the Cornhusker Shooting Stars.
“I’ll obviously miss my family,” she said, “but I’m excited about getting the chance to play there.”
For now, college can wait. Snider said she is looking forward to Kearney’s final two home games in the old gym and hopefully one last trip to state.
“It’s been a great year,” she said. “And I hope it gets even better.”
http://www.neprepzone.com/sports/pa...cle_aecdae22-2866-56ce-9a69-782ace41008e.html
Column by Mike Patterson / World-Herald staff writer
It’s been a memorable senior season for Kearney’s Skyler Snider, one of the top scorers in Class A.
Averaging just under 20 points, the Seton Hall recruit recently became the school’s career scoring leader. She also secured a nice NBA souvenir a few months ago from the Chicago Bulls’ Derrick Rose, but more on that later.
The 5-foot-10 guard has played an important role for the Bearcats since her freshman year. She has helped Kearney reach the state tournament each of the past two years and hopes to make it three straight.
RICK TUCKER/WORLD-HERALD NEWS SERVICE
Kearney’s Skyler Snider, right, scored 31 points last Saturday to move past Nicole Arp and become the Bearcats’ career scoring leader. Snider has 1,300 career points
.
“It’s been a fun year,” she said. “I’ve got a good feeling about this team, and we’re all working hard to get back to state.”
The Bearcats (12-7) have had their moments, including a win two weeks ago over defending Class A champion Omaha Westside. But it was a home game against another Metro Conference school — Papillion-La Vista South — that guarantees Snider’s place in Kearney history.
In that game last Saturday, she moved past Nicole Arp to become the Bearcats’ all-time scoring leader. Kearney lost 68-62, but Snider said it was a night she’ll always remember.
“I knew going into the game that I needed eight points to break the record,” she said. “I was really pumped because I had a chance to get it at home.”
Those home games have taken on added meaning because the Bearcats will play next season at the new Kearney High School. These are the final games at the venerable gym, and fans have come out in force to see the Bearcats in their old digs one last time.
“Our crowds have been awesome this year,” Snider said. “I think it’s surprised some teams when they show up and the place is packed.”
It was like that when Snider went after the record. But against the No. 9 Titans, she only had five first-half points.
“That was brutal,” she said. “Luckily, I got things going after that.”
Things changed in the second half as Snider went on a tear. She scored 26 and finished with a career-high 31.
Sometime during that hot stretch, she moved past Arp. Snider now has 1,300 career points.
“They were going to stop the game when she set the record, but we were on a roll,” Kearney coach Jason Boyd said. “They announced it at the end of the (third) quarter.”
Snider said she thinks she knows which shot broke the record.
“It was a jumper from the top of the key,” she said. “I give a lot of credit to my coaches and team because getting that record was pretty cool.”
That was the high point in a season that began on a shaky note when Snider reinjured her back in a car accident. That was the night she attended the Bulls’ Oct. 23 exhibition game against the Dallas Mavericks in Lincoln — and ended up with Rose’s warm-up T-shirt.
“We were high-fiving the Bulls as they were coming out onto the court,” she said. “He just handed it to me.”
Snider said she was able to watch the game, but her back stiffened up the next day. She missed the first two weeks of practice and got off to a slow start, but is back in peak form now.
She also is set for the future after accepting her Seton Hall scholarship. A coach from the Big East school located in New Jersey noticed Snider while she was playing in a tournament for her club team, the Cornhusker Shooting Stars.
“I’ll obviously miss my family,” she said, “but I’m excited about getting the chance to play there.”
For now, college can wait. Snider said she is looking forward to Kearney’s final two home games in the old gym and hopefully one last trip to state.
“It’s been a great year,” she said. “And I hope it gets even better.”
