Waldorf Men's Basketball Cannot Recover from Cold Start in Loss at Hastings

HASTINGS, Nebraska. Hastings rode a blistering night from beyond the arc and a dominant first half surge to hand Waldorf an 87-69 road loss on Saturday afternoon at Lynn Farrell Arena.

The Warriors fell behind early as Hastings built a 39-21 lead by halftime behind efficient perimeter shooting and balanced scoring. Hastings finished 15-for-33 from 3-point range and converted 18 of 22 free throws, production that helped the hosts maintain control even as Waldorf's offense found better rhythm after the break. The teams played even over the final 20 minutes, each scoring 48 points, but the first-half deficit proved too much for the Warriors to erase.

Waldorf opened with an early highlight when Nick Graves knocked down a 3-pointer to give the Warriors a brief 3-2 edge. Hastings answered with a sustained run, turning defensive stops and offensive rebounding into transition looks and open perimeter shots. A late jumper by Hastings' Maverick Binder in the closing seconds of the first quarter stretched the lead and underscored the momentum that carried into the locker room.

Hastings continued to apply pressure from long range in the second half. Less than two minutes into the third quarter, Micah Hinrichs buried a 3-pointer to push the margin to 44-21. Later, Cameron Coraggio extended the advantage to 50-30 with another triple, part of a night that saw him connect on five 3-pointers and finish with 15 points in just 15 minutes. Binder led all scorers with 25 points, including six 3-pointers, to go with six rebounds and four assists, while DaRon Hall added 18 points and went 4-for-5 at the foul line.

The Warriors responded with improved offensive execution after halftime, attacking the lane and creating better looks in the half court. Waldorf tied Hastings 48-48 in the second half, highlighted by late-range shooting and more consistent ball movement. Cartier Parr knocked down a 3-pointer with just over three minutes remaining to cut into the deficit and cap one of the Warriors' late offensive stretches, but Hastings' earlier cushion kept the outcome secure.

Individually, Waldorf was paced by standout efforts from the backcourt. Krys Watley led the Warriors with 19 points, adding three rebounds and three assists while hitting a pair of 3-pointers in 32 minutes. Conner Aldridge provided efficient scoring inside and out, finishing with 18 points on 8-of-16 shooting and grabbing four rebounds in 30 minutes. As a group, Waldorf shot 48.1% from the field (25-for-52) and totaled 15 assists, showing offensive balance despite the final margin.

Team statistics reflected the challenge of overcoming Hastings' perimeter shooting. Waldorf was 7-for-23 (30.4%) from 3-point range and 12-for-22 (54.5%) at the free-throw line, while Hastings held a slight 39-37 edge on the glass and generated nine steals to Waldorf's three. This loss puts the Waldorf Warriors at 6-18, with a 2-14 mark in conference play with four games to go.