The Greene County Rams split hoops games Tuesday in Jefferson against the Saydel Eagles.
The girls lost 40-21. The Eagles led 12-6 after one quarter, with the Rams scoreless for the first five minutes of play. That six point margin held for the second quarter and the score was 21-15 at halftime. But, the Rams’ shooting went even colder – at 9 percent for the third quarter – and just 13 percent for the game. The score after three quarters was 34-19. The Rams’ only points in the fourth quarter were on one of three free throw shooting by Laurin Lyons and one of two free throw shooting by Nicole Rohner.
Still, the Rams had some positives in the game. The Eagles’ Cassie Chubb scored 12 points in the first quarter and five points in the second quarter. The Rams adjusted their defense and held Chubbs to only two in the entire second half. The Rams have allowed an average of 47 points per game, but kept the Eagles below that average. The Rams’ ball handling was also improved over recent games. The Rams had 23 turnovers against Boone and 25 turnovers against Winterset in their last two games. They had only 15 turnovers against the Eagles Tuesday night.
Lyons scored six points, all from the free throw line. Rohner made three free throws and a 2-pointer. Hannah Promes and Taylor Wessling both made a 3-point shot, Onica Delp made a 2-ppointer, and Cassidy Adamson made two free throws.
The win broke a seven game losing streak for the Eagles. They’re now 2-7 overall. The Rams are 2-8 overall and 2-6 in the Heart of Iowa Activities Conference.
The boys’ game was either hot or cold. The Rams were hot first and led 9-0 before the Eagles scored after 3-1/2 minutes of play. The Rams scored to take the score to 11-2, but the Eagles scored the next 12 points to hold a 14-11 lead at the end of the quarter. The Rams’ cold shooting continued, with no points for the Rams until a Max Neese free throw with 1:01 left to play in the half. The Rams had gone 11 minutes without scoring. Neese added a 2-pointer and the score at halftime was 20-14. Lead scorers Trey Tucker and Trey Hinote did not score in the first half.
Eagle Andrew Smith made two 3-pointers and a 2-pointer to stretch his team’s lead to 28-14 less than two minutes into the third quarter, but then it was the Eagles’ turn to feel the cold. They scored just two more points in the quarter as the Rams chipped away at their lead. At the end of the quarter the Eagles’ margin was just three points, 30-27.
The Rams took the lead on a Mitchell Gorsuch 3-pointer with 6:03 to play in the game. The scorer was tied at 38 with 1:55 to play, but the Rams were able to take advantage of Eagle turnovers and build an advantage and win 46-38. In the second half the Eagles had 11 turnovers and the Rams had only two. Seven of the Eagles’ turnovers were in the fourth quarter and the Rams had none in the fourth quarter.
The Rams were challenged by fouls early on. Tucker, Gorsuch and Anthony Cunningham all had two fouls apiece after just three minutes of play. In the end, it was the Eagles’ fouls that made a difference. The Rams were 13 of 19 at the free throw line while the Eagles were four of five. The Rams were 15 of 49 from the floor for 31 percent. The Eagles were 15 of 41 for 37 percent.
Neese scored 14 points with five field goals and four of six free throws. Reid Lamoureux scored 11 points with a 3-pointer, two field goals and four of four free throws. Tucker had nine points with two field goals and five of seven free throws. He was not at full strength due to an ankle sprain in the game against Winterset Dec. 21.
Thomas Jacobsen made a 3-pointer and a field goal for five points, Gorsuch scored three points, and Cunningham and Wade Adcock each had two points. Hinote, who averages9.4 points per game, did not score. Sico Boateng was zero for two at the free throw line.
Both teams had come into the game allowing their opponents an average of 60 points per game.
The Rams are now 3-6 overall and 2-4 in the HOIAC. Saydel is 0-8 overall and 0-6 in the HOIAC.
The Rams host the Roland-Story Norsemen for a Mega Night in Jefferson on Friday.
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