The Saydel girls and Greene County boys were Heart of Iowa Activities Conference high school basketball winners Friday night in Des Moines on the home court of the Eagles. Both games were heard on KG98 and streamed on www.raccoonvalleyradio.com. The Eagles won the girls’ game 35-22 and the Rams won the boys’ contest in overtime by a 79-74 final.
Saydel (1-10, 1-6) won a girls’ game for the first time this season and for just the second time in their last 24 contests, dating back to last season. The only Greene County lead was at 6-5 at the end of the first quarter. Neither team had a player reach double figures in points, but the Eagles had six girls put between five and eight points on the board, led by senior Darian Garcia with eight. Saydel entered the game as a 50% free throw shooting team, but they went 11 of 12 from the line in the first half and finished 16 of 25. The Eagles turned the ball over 22 times and they made nine of 46 shots from the floor, including one of eight from three-point range.
The Greene County girls were just five of 19 shooting free throws with 25 turnovers. Coach Tyler Westhoff’s team was eight of 37 from the field and one of eight on three-pointers. Junior Kassie Lamoureux was the leading scorer with nine points, followed by junior Izzy Bravard with five. The Rams fall to 0-7 in the conference, 0-10 overall, and they’ve lost 18 in a row dating back to last season.
The Rams kept the Eagles without a boys’ conference victory, but just barely. Playing for the first time since Lance Hughes (21 points per game), quit the team, and without three other players due to vacations and ineligibilities, Coach Chris Nelson’s team found a way to win. Factor in Trey Hinote and his 20.4 points per game average sitting roughly half the game due to foul trouble, and the Rams certainly had some obstacles to overcome, which they did. Junior Carter Morton scored a career high 30 points and Hinote had 25, despite not scoring in either the second or third quarters.
Regulation was tied at 63-63 after the Eagles missed two shots from close range as time wound down. A put back that would have won the game for Saydel in the last second of regulation looked like it was going in, then popped out of the hoop and the teams went to OT. Greene County took control in the extra four minutes, leading by as many as eight points late. The Eagles hit a three-pointer as time expired for the final margin.
Saydel fell to 2-8 overall and 0-7 in HOIAC action, while the Rams improved to 5-6 on the season and 3-4 in the conference after both teams entered the game on three-game losing streaks. The Rams went 11 of 30 from three-point range and 25 of 63 overall. They were 20 of 25 shooting free throws and had 16 turnovers, but only six in the second half and overtime combined. Key plays from Nick Breon, John Rosado, Caden Lowmiller, Xavier Hayes, and Skylar Ripperger were instrumental in the victory.
The Eagles had 26 points from Colton Myers and 23 by Zach Bobenhouse. They went 26 of 64 from the floor and seven of 20 on three-point shots. Saydel was 15 of 26 from the foul line, but only three of six in the second half and OT. They turned the ball over 19 times.
Jan. 11 is the next date the Rams are scheduled to play. That girl/boy doubleheader is at Gilbert and can be heard on KG98 and streamed on www.raccoonvalleyradio.com.