
Girls’ basketball team from Winnebago Reservation makes it to state tournament
‘Won and not done!!!’: Lady Indians advance to semi-finals
Friday, March 5, 2021
Indianz.Com
LINCOLN, Nebraska —
Early in the first quarter, it looked like the dream might end.
Lucy Ghaifan, the 6-foot center from Grand Island Central Catholic School, scored six unanswered points, twisting and pushing her way to the basket and fueling her team to a 10-point lead over the Winnebago Lady Indians girls’ basketball team.
Before the bright lights and raucous crowd at Pinnacle Bank Arena here in Lincoln, the girls did what they have done so often this season. They dug down deep and found the will to win.
“We knew we had to play as a team and be positive the whole time,” said Winnebago senior and six-foot guard Madeline “Maddy” Cleveland. “It was amazing. It’s really a good feeling.”
The Winnebago team upset fifth-ranked Grand Island Central Catholic 48-46 during the first round of the Class C-1 state tournament in Lincoln. It’s the first time since 1990 that the team has made it to the tournament, and it wasn’t an easy road getting there.
The team began their season with a losing record, winning just six of their first 15 games. But just as they did Wednesday, they fought their way back and found their rhythm to get to the state tournament.
The Indians defeated a strong team from Pierce, Nebraska, to qualify for districts and then knocked off the No. 1 seed for districts, Malcolm, to secure a state berth.
On Friday morning, the team at 16-10 will face No. 6 North Bend Central in the semifinals.


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