Now in second place in HOIAC at 12-3
This year’s graduating seniors were in seventh grade the last time the Jefferson-Scranton Rams beat the Gilbert Tigers in varsity boys basketball. The Tigers’ domination ended with a 64-55 Ram win in Gilbert Tuesday.
The Rams led the entire game, with their shooting a little hotter and their rebounding a lot more energetic than the Tigers’. The Rams were up 18-9 after one quarter and 32-23 at the intermission.
The Rams’ lead was 10 points after three quarters, 48-38. With five minutes to play in the game the Tigers had knicked the lead down to six points, 51-45, and Ram fans were remembering the game last month in Jefferson when the Rams were up by four points with two minutes to play and ended up losing 68-62 in overtime.
This time, though, the Rams held on to the lead, stretched it to 11 points with two minutes to play, and held a margin of nine points when the final buzzer sounded.
Trey Tucker scored 29 points to pace the Rams, with two 3-point baskets. He made it to the free throw line nine times in the fourth quarter, 11 times total for the game, and made seven of the shots. Trey Hinote scored 20 points, including four 3-point baskets. He had no free throws in the game. Wade Adcock finished the game with five points. He had four fouls midway in the third quarter and saw limited action until the final minutes of play. Lance Hughes scored five points, Thomas Jacobsen scored three on a long basket in the first quarter, and Chase Stoline scored two points on a contested shot under the basket.
Unofficially the Rams made 16 of 32 2-point shots and seven of 18 3-point shots for 46 percent shooting from the floor. They made 11 of 17 free throws for 65 percent. They committed 10 turnovers.
The Tigers shot at 32 percent from the floor and made 16 of 21 free throws for 77 percent. In their earlier game with the Rams, the Tigers scored 34 points from the free throw line, having made it to the line for 49 shots. The Tigers turned the ball over 15 times, with nine of those being in the second half.
The win puts the Rams at 13-6 on the season and 12-3 in the Heart of Iowa Activities Conference. They have a conference game against PCM on Friday and will end the season with a non-conference game against Perry Feb. 14. PCM is 10-10 overall and 9-6 in the conference.
