By Jayden Mies
Freelance contributor
Special to the Tribune

Coming out of a runner-up finish at the 2025 Hoisington Winter Jam, the Pratt High School Boys’ Basketball team was determined to get on the winning track as they move through their regular season schedule.

Their first game out of the tournament came against the Nickerson Panthers. This matchup was held in Nickerson on Friday, January 31. Initially, the game was back-and-forth for a good portion of the first half. However, Pratt was able to pull away in the second half of the game, and they won by a final score of 65-38.

In this game, Pratt outrebounded Nickerson by an impressive 34-20 margin. The Greenbacks also collected 13 assists and 14 steals, which greatly limited the Panthers’ chances to score. Pratt shot 48% from the field, 20% from three, and 80% from the free throw line.

The Greenbacks’ next contest would come against one of their top CKL rivals: the Haven Wildcats. On Tuesday, February 4, these two teams faced off at Haven in what was sure to be a tight contest for the whole game.

The Greenbacks had a slow start to the game and found themselves down by a sizeable gap going into halftime. Going into the fourth quarter, they were still down by multiple possessions. They entered this quarter with 20 points and nearly doubled that total by the end of it. Unfortunately, they were unable to close the gap, and Pratt lost by a final score of 38-44.

Following this tough loss, the Greenbacks were determined to turn it around in their second meeting against Nickerson. This was at Nickerson on Friday, February 7, and Pratt was able to make a solid rebound.

The first quarter brought back-and-forth action between the two squads, but Pratt was able to find a groove in the second quarter. They were able to jump out to an 8-point lead thanks to a buzzer-beating fast break dunk by Arley Morrell.

The second half brought more offensive success for Pratt. Thanks to multiple threes from Caleb Strong and several others, the Greenbacks were able to push their lead and ultimately win the game by a final score of 74-47.

In the stat book, Pratt beat Nickerson in many categories. They had 32 rebounds to Nickerson’s 19, tallied 12 assists, and racked up 14 steals. From the field, Pratt shot 48%, as well as 20% from beyond the arc and 76% from the free throw line. Nickerson actually shot better than Pratt from the field and three point range, but their possessions were severely limited due to Pratt’s defensive intensity the whole game.

With this win, Pratt moves to a 10-4 record on the year and a 5-1 record in CKL play. They will look to grow in the win column in their next contest, which will be on Tuesday,

February 11. Then, they will host the Hesston Swathers, who currently sit atop the CKL standings. Pratt will look to cause an upset and further grow this regular season momentum they have created.