Platte Valley basketball begins state tournament run

By Morgan Guyer

Both the boys and girls Platte Valley Basketball Teams earned state sectional wins this week.

The boys team started off by beating Winston 57 – 24 on February 27 at the Civic Arena in St. Joseph. Platte Valley has had a high flying offense all season, but it was their defense that shined in this game. They started the game on a 17 – 0 run, with Winston scoring their first points right at the end of the first quarter. The dominance continued as Platte Valley took a 36 – 8 halftime lead, and they would never look back. Alex Mattson and Memphis Bliley have been constant threats for Platte Valley all season long. Mattson would finish with a game high 23 points, while Bliley poured in 18 of his own. The boys team will head back to the Civic Arena at 4 pm, Friday, March 3 and face off against Green City with a trip to the state Show-Me Championship’s semi-finals on the line.

It was a similar story for the girls team, as they took care of business against King City on February 28 at the Civic Arena, winning 58 – 21. The girls, just like the boys, started the game hot, taking a 17 – 2 lead in the first quarter. The Wildkats would have no answer on the night, as Platte Valley showed their dominance. The girls team will match-up against Santa Fe Saturday, at 12 noon, Saturday, March 4 at Missouri Western for a trip to the semi-finals.