The Greene County Ram basketball teams split games in Jefferson Monday against the Mustangs of Prairie City-Monroe. The games were originally scheduled for Jan. 10 but rescheduled due to road conditions that day.
The Ram boys lead most of the game, up 23-18 after one quarter and 41-33 at intermission. But, the Mustangs had a big third quarter and with less than two minutes to play they were ahead 53-52. The Rams’ defense got tough and their shooting got hot as they held the Mustangs scoreless for nearly 10 minutes. The Rams were ahead 78-53 before the Mustangs scored again. The final score was 80-58.
Trey Tucker and Trey Hinote scored 26 points each. Hinote’s tally included eight 3-point shots. Tucker scored three long baskets. Wade Adcock scored 11 points, Thmas Jacobson had five, including a tres, Lance Hughes scored eight points, and Calvin Skalla and Logan Lansman scored two points each.
Unofficially the Rams made 20 of 36 2-point shots and 12 of 22 3-point shots for 55 percent shooting from the floor. They made four of seven free throws for 57 percent. The Rams committed 11 turnovers.
The Mustangs made 16 of 29 two-point shots and eight of 26 3-point shots for 44 percent shooting from the floor. They made four of 12 free throws for 33 percent. They committed 13 turnovers, with seven of them in the fourth quarter.
The win was important for the Rams as a loss to the Mustangs would have given both teams three losses in the Heart of Iowa Activities Conference. With the win, the Rams are 10-2 in the conference and 11-5 overall. PCM is 9-7 overall and 9-4 in the conference.
The Ram girls lost their 10th straight game, this one by a 67-29 score. As is often the case, the Rams kept up in the first quarter. They were down 11-9 after one quarter and tied the score at 11 before the Mustangs started pulling ahead. The Rams were down 28-20 after two quarters and 50-27 after three. Samantha Hardaway scored in the first minute of the fourth quarter and that proved to be the Rams’ last score for the game. The final score was 67-29.
The Rams were playing without lead scorer Kenna Marquardt due to a knee injury sustained last Friday in the game against South Hamilton. Laurin Lyons scored 12 points, Hannah Promes scored five, Ashley Millard scored four points, Hardaway and Taylor Wessling scored three each and Izzy Bravard added two points. Lyons and Promes each made a 3-point basket.
The Rams shot at 34 percent from the floor and 33 percent from the free throw line. They committed 22 turnovers. The Mustangs shot at 52 percent from the floor and at 60 percent from the charity line. The committed eight turnovers.
The Mustangs are now 13-1 in the HOIAC and 15-3 overall. The Rams are 2-11 in the conference and 3-15 overall.
The Rams’ last home games for the season are Tuesday with a Mega Night against the Nevada Cubs.
