The Roland-Story Norsemen won both varsity basketball games in Jefferson Friday.
The girls scored more than their season average points but lost to R-S, 50-27. The Rams scored five points in the first quarter and just eight in the first half. They were down 27-8 at halftime. The score was 39-17 after three quarters.
The Rams took more shots than most games but their shooting percentage was a little short at 23 percent compared to their season percentage of 27.4 percent. The Norse shot at 37 percent, including making 10 of 21 3-point shots. They entered the game averaging four long buckets per game. Roland-Story’s Dalani Phillips was the surprise of the game – she averages one point per game but scored 16 points against the Rams.
The Rams had 21 turnovers for the game while the Norse had 13.
Laurin Lyons led the Rams in scoring with six points, four of which she made in free throws. Sunny Mobley, Samantha Hardaway and Kenna Marquardt had four points each, Onica Delp scored three points, Hannah Promes and Nicole Rohner scored two each and Taylor Wessling and Cassidy Adamson each added a point. The Rams were seven of 16 from the free throw line.
The Ram girls are now 2-9 overall and 2-6 in the HOIAC. The Norse girls are 5-6 overall and 4-4 in the HOIAC.
The Ram boys team struggles with defense, generally allowing their opposition to score more than their season average. The Rams held the Norse to very close to their average of 65 points as the Norse topped the Rams 66-53. The Rams were averaging 58.9 points going into the game and allowing their opponents an average of 67 points.
The Rams shot at close to their average of 35 percent, but the Norse were well ahead of theirs, shooting at 51 percent as they average 37.5 percent. Roland-Story averages nine 3-point shots per game; they made eight against the Rams. The Rams average seven 3-pointers and made six. They were below their average from beyond the arc at 24 percent, behind their 32 percent average.
The Norsemen took the early lead but after four minutes of play the Rams were up 10-8. A R-S 3-pointer gave them the lead they didn’t relinquish. R-S was up 23-17 after one quarter and 38-30 at halftime. The Rams got to within four points, 38-34, early in the second half, but R-S scored 11 unanswered points. The score was 49-34 before Mitchell Gorsuch ended the chill with a 3-point basket. The score after three quarters was 51-41. Roland-Story’s margin was 17 points, 66-49, before the Rams scored the last four points of the game.
R-S senior John Barclay led all scorers with 19 points, four points above his average. Trey Tucker led the Rams with 17 points, shy of his 20.4 average. Reid Lamoureux scored 10 points, Wade Adcock scored eight, Gorsuch and Trey Hinote had six with both of them scoring only 3-point shots, Max Neese had four and Anthony Cunningham scored two points. The Rams had a total of six 3-point baskets, two each for Tucker, Gorsuch and Hinote. As a team the Rams were three of four from the free throw line. Fouls were much of a factor in the game, as R-S was at the free throw line only five times and made four. The Rams had 13 turnovers to the Norse’ 11.
The loss puts the Rams at 3-7 overall and 2-5 in the Heart of Iowa Activities Conference. Roland-Story is 8-2 overall and 5-2 in the HOIAC.
The Rams host the Southeast Valley Jaguars Saturday night for a non-conference Mega Night.
