The West Fork girls basketball team built up a double digit lead and didn’t allow the Cadets to get within single digits to take the opener. The Iowa Falls-Alden boys basketball team bounced back from a first quarter deficit and never trailed again to win the night cap. The Warhawk girls won 56-43 and the Cadet boys won 59-52 on Friday, as aired on 104.9 KLMJ.
In the girls game, West Fork’s defense fueled the offense to pull out to a 22-9 lead at the end of the first quarter. The Warhawks through an even second quarter maintained a double digit advantage at 36-23 into the break. The Warhawks outscored the Cadets 16-7 in the third quarter to take their largest lead of the night at 52-30 entering the final quarter. The Cadets answered with their own pressure with a 13-4 scoring run in the fourth but the Warhawks denied any further rally to secure the road win.
Nehir Kanat had 18 points including four triples. Brylie Hubka and Karma McMorris each added 11 points to lead the Warhawks. Isabelle Janssen had 11 points and Elody England had 10 points to lead the Cadets.
West Fork Head Coach Rodney Huber on the play of leading scorers and limiting Cadet playmakers.
“That was Nehir’s best game probably since the first game of the year. Karma is having to take on more of a role here and pick up scoring slack. The thing with Brylee Hubka is how great she’s been in our press, so that has been really good to see,” says Huber. “They’re a great shooting team, you look at their statistics and they were scorching hot from three. I thought we did a really good job on a couple of their leading scorers. I thought our game plan and the girls executed at a high level not letting some of those girls be catching shoot players. We wanted to really run them off the line and make them attack our defense off the dribble. We had good execution. It’s really awesome when you start to see some of that stuff come together.”
In the boys game, West Fork took flight to an early 19-10 lead by getting to the rim. In the second, IFA overcame the deficit with a 18-6 scoring run to go up 28-25 at the half. The Cadets emerged from the break shooting lights out to extend the lead to 42-30 midway through the third. The Warhawks bounced back with a 10-4 run to get within striking distance at a 46-42 deficit heading to the fourth. IFA led 52-49 with 3:07 to go in the game, and were able to build their lead back up to put away the home win.
IFA Head Coach Mike Holm on the early deficit and the adjustment of players to overcome it.
“We talked in-between the quarters about doing the things that we’re supposed to do. We did a lot of things in that first quarter that’s not characteristic of what we want to do. I think we kind of grounded everybody back down and reminded them if we’re going to have success these are the things we need to do and the kids did a great job of buying into that We settled back into what our game plan was and not what West Fork was dictating to us,” says Holm. “I can’t give enough credit to our second group of kids that got out there and threw on the press, caused some panic and chaos and got some buckets for us. That kept us in the game and actually probably got us back in the game in the first half. Then our starters came in and finished it out.”
Karsen Kalous had 19 points and Kale Kalous had 17 to lead the Cadets. Xavier Baptiste totaled 15 and Ashyr Wisman added 14 to lead the Warhawks.
The Iowa Falls-Alden girls (5-3) and the Cadet boys (5-2) will host Roland-Story on Monday. The West Fork girls (6-2) and the Warhawk boys (3-3) will visit North Butler on Tuesday on 104.9 KLMJ.
