GOODLAND ? Ottawa HighâÂÂs boys basketball team drove across Kansas to meet top-notch competition, and Saturday the Braves conquered the field.

Ross Thompson scored 28 points, leading the Braves to a 71-59 win against Goodland in the championship match of the Goodland Tournament. Lee Baldwin added eight points and Clint Bones seven for Ottawa, which beat McCook, Neb., on Friday, a squad ranked No. 2 in its class in Nebraska.

Ottawa coach David Grover said the tournament win was a good measuring stick for his squad because the Braves beat teams they knew little about.

âÂÂYesterday was the big one, but today was important, too,â Grover said. âÂÂWe struggled a little in the first half but came out in the second half and got it going.âÂÂ

Grover conceded the biggest test of the tournament was McCook, but he said Goodland still had a good squad.

âÂÂTheyâÂÂre solid, but they donâÂÂt have a lot of size,â he said. âÂÂBut theyâÂÂve got some players.âÂÂ

Thompson and Baldwin were each named to the all-tournament team.

OttawaâÂÂs next game isnâÂÂt until Jan. 3 against Baldwin – leaving plenty of time for the Braves to practice.

âÂÂWeâÂÂll go hard through next week, take a week off and then come back at it again,â Grover said.

Ottawa 71, Goodland 59

Goodland 13 20 14 12 – 59

Ottawa 11 24 18 18 – 71

Ottawa – Drew Waldron 6, Gabe Sheffield 3, Will Hendrix 2, Lee Baldwin 8, Jarod Sigmund 5, Michael Cation 4, Andrew Maxwell 2, Clint Bones 7, Ross Thompson 28, Caleb Blakesley 6.

Ottawa record – 4-1.