A different kind of hurt

After building double-digit leads in each half, Hartley-Melvin-Sanborn saw the momentum swing to Sioux Central over the final 12 minutes, setting the stage for their 68-63 come-from-behind win Dec. 6 in Hartley.

The Hawks led throughout the first half. The margin was 17-11 after one quarter and grew to 11 points in the second half. A late surge pulled Sioux Central to within 31-24 at half time.

“I thought we came out and set the tone early. We were sharing the ball and had good flow offensively,” observed Hawk coach Naet Hoaglund. “We defended well in the first half. We were forcing tough shots, making it difficult for them to score and holding them to one shot possessions.”

H-M-S led by 11 early in the third quarter but Sioux Central narrowed the deficit to 37-34. After rebuilding the margin to nine, the Hawks saw it shrink to 43-41 to end the quarter.

“That was a critical juncture for us. We were a few stops and a few baskets away from really putting them away,” Hoaglund noted.

H-M-S opened the fourth quarter with a three-pointer, but Sioux Central took the lead for good with an 11-0 run. The Hawks trailed by 11 with three minutes to play but tried to mount a comeback, getting as close as four points in the final minute.

“We had a few poor possessions with quick shots and turnovers, and weren’t able to get the stops we needed. As soon as that momentum shifted, things got sideways for us pretty quickly,” Hoaglund said.

H-M-S had several players contribute offensively. Lance Berends and Kooper Ebel were leading scorers with 22 and 15 points, but Keevyn Jacobsma added 11 and Travis Kamradt and Jordan Ortega each scored six.

Hoaglund described H-M-S’s 45-19 advantage on the glass as “awesome.” Berends finished with 19 rebounds, Ebel and Kamradt each had five, Ortega had four and Mason Brinkman and Trenton Vollink added three each.

Leaders in assists were Kamradt with six, Ebel with five, Berends with four and Brinkman with three.

“It never feels good to lose, but to lose the way we did after controlling much of the game is a different kind of hurt,” Hoaglund acknowledged. “We can learn a lot about ourselves and this team from a game like this. I have no doubt in my mind with the kids we have, that we will be better because of this experience.”

The varsity doubleheader at Remsen St. Mary’s on Dec. 10 was postponed to Jan. 20. The H-M-S boys and girls, both 1-2 on the season, close out the pre-holiday schedule at Gehlen Catholic on Dec. 17 and at home against Unity Christian on Dec. 21.