The Greene County Rams finished the home portion of the 2018-19 campaign with a pair of wins over the Saydel Eagles, ending a 25-game losing streak for the girls and putting senior Trey Hinote into the Ram record books as scoring the most points in a single game at 44.
The girls got their first win in more than a year, topping the Eagles 45-30. The Rams scored 21 points in the fourth quarter alone, near their season game average of 24. It was the first career win for coach Tyler Westhoff.
In the first half Ram fans saw a Ram team they hadn’t seen all season and a Ram team they’re very familiar with. Freshman Brianna Habben scored in the first 20 seconds of the game. Her teammates committed only two turnovers in the quarter and held the 1-17 Eagles scoreless. The score was 11-0 after one quarter, the biggest lead the Rams have had this season.
During the second quarter, though, the Rams committed eight turnovers and ten fouls, allowing the Eagles to knot the score at 14 before the buzzer sounded to end the half.
The Eagles took a two point lead in the third quarter. The Rams trimmed it to one point at the free throw line, and finally, with only three minutes left in the quarter, Kassie Lamoureux put her team up 17-16. The Rams held the lead the rest of the way and closed the quarter ahead 24-17. The Ram girls have shot at only 22 percent from the floor this season. In the third quarter they made four of nine shots for 44 percent.
The Eagles came within five points at 25-20 and again at 29-24 in the fourth quarter, but that was as close as they came.
Both teams scored more than their season average, as the Eagle’s 23.9 point average matched the Rams’ average. Free throws were critical in the game. The Rams went to the line 25 times and made 13 baskets for 52 percent, ahead of their 46.7 percent average. The Eagles went to the line 18 times and made only four baskets for 22.2percent compared to their season average of 43.4 percent.
The Rams’ scoring was balanced, with 11 points from Izzy Bravard and 10 points from Brianna Osterson. They both made a 3-point shot. Lamoureux scored 10 points, Bailey Cunningham scored nine, Habben scored four and Sadie Wilson added one point.
Lily Muir didn’t score but led the team in rebounds with eight. Cunningham was right behind with seven rebounds, Osterson had six, Habben had five, Lamoureux had three and Bravard and Madison Hayes had one each.
The Ram girls are 1-17 overall and 1-11 in the Heart of Iowa Activities Conference. The Eagles are 1-18 overall and 1-11 in the conference.
The boys got their second win of the week as they won their second game of the season against Saydel, this one by an 88-70 score. The only other time this season the boys have won consecutive games was at the start of the season with wins over Ogden and Perry, Nov. 26 and 27.
Of the Rams’ 88 points, senior Trey Hinote scored 44 to break a school record for all Jefferson-based Ram teams. He broke the record on a 2-point basket with just more than two minutes left in the game.
The record of 43 points in a game had been shared by four Ram players – Ken Sanders, Jeff Kundrat, Mike Waugh and Trey Tucker. Hinote now has that record, but Tucker still holds the school record for career points scored at 1,811. Hinote’s career total stands at 1,265 with three regular season games remaining on the schedule.
When the Rams played on Saydel’s home court Jan. 4 the game was tight; the Rams won by five points in overtime. This time, the Rams led the entire way. The game was fast-paced, particularly early on. The Rams have struggled with rebounding and defending against the fast break, but not Friday night. The Rams led 29-16 after eight minutes of play and 48-26 at intermission.
The rout continued, with the home team ahead 67-37 after three quarters. Twenty-two was as close as the Eagles got, down 82-60 with about four minutes left to play.
The Rams made 38 of 76 shots from the floor for 50 percent, better than their season average of 39.8 percent. The Eagles made 30 of 77 shots, right at their 39 percent season average. The Rams were far below their average at the free throw line, making just one of six free throws for 16 percent; their average is 68.5 percent. The Eagles shot at 40 percent, making four of 10 shots from the line. They average 59.2 percent.
The outcome of the game is found in 3-point shots. The Rams made 11 of 33 long shots, just a bit behind their average. The Eagles made very close to their season average of 26 percent, but they took only 19 shots from three-point range.
Hinote’s 44 points came from eight 3-point shots and 18 field goals. He took no free throws in the game. Junior John Rosado made 17 points, a career high for him. He made one long bucket and eight deuces. He was zero for one at the line. Junior Carter Morton scored 12 points with one tres, five 2-pointers and one of three free throws. Juniors Cael Fisher made five points with a tres and a deuce, Tyler Miller made a pair of 2-point baskets, and Nick Breon and Ethan Hueser made two points each. Sophomore Zach Goff added two points.
Breon and Morton led in rebounds with 10 and nine respectively.
The Rams are at 7-12 overall and 4-12 in the HOIAC. The Eagles are at 4-14 overall and 0-11overall.
The Rams have three teams left in the regular season – a non-conference game in Carroll against the Tigers on Saturday, a make-up of the Jan. 29 game against Roland-Story in Story City Monday, and the last regular game against North Polk in Alleman Tuesday.
