BLAIRSBURG - A 10-point third quarter deficit was just too much for the Northeast Hamilton boys' basketball team to overcome here last night.
But, boy, did the Trojans sure try.
Behind the offensive prowess of Logan Seiser and Noah Ronnfeldt, Northeast Hamilton climbed all the way within striking distance before it simply ran out of time in a 66-65 Iowa Star Conference loss to the Meskwaki Settlement School.
Article Photos
DFJ photo by Tracy Runneberg
Northeast Hamilton sophomore Austin Smith (43) rejects the shot of Meskwaki Settlement’s Tyus Grant during first-half play last night in Blairsburg. Smith scored two points in the Trojans’ 66-65 loss.
Seiser poured in 27 points and Ronnfeldt had 22 for the Trojans (4-3, 3-3 ISC), who dipped back to .500 in the conference.
But it was the closing moments of the game that had NEH head coach John Seiser fuming afterwards. The Trojans had possession of the ball and got three looks at the basket, but none of them fell. John Seiser felt his team was fouled on all three chances, but nothing was called.
"We were hacked, it's as simple as that," John Seiser said.
Fact Box
Meskwaki Settlement 66, NE Hamilton 65
Meskwaki Settlement (3-6, 2-5 ISC) - Demarce Keahna 2 0-0 5, Royce Timberwolf 5 2-4 13, Corey Dye 3 0-0 6, Tyus Grant 7 0-0 17, Damon Whitebreast 3 0-0 6, Terrell Grant 2 1-2 5, Darrion Murray 0 0-2 0, Kordell Bear 5 0-0 10. Totals: 27 3-8 66.
Northeast Hamilton (4-3, 3-3 ISC) - Gabe Rapp 1 0-0 3, Tyler Smith 1 0-0 2, Trevor Klaver 1 3-4 5, Stephen Chamness 2 0-0 4, Noah Ronnfeldt 8 6-8 22, Logan Seiser 9 4-7 27, Austin Smith 1 0-3 2. Totals: 23 13-24 65.
Quarter scores - MS led 15-13, 40-34 and 51-41. 3-point field goals - MS 5 (Keahna Grant 3, Timberwolf); NEH 6 (Seiser 5, Rapp). Rebounds - NEH 41 (Chamness 12, Ronnfeldt 10, Seiser 9). Team fouls - MS 12, NEH 15. Fouled out - Murray.
Meskwaki Settlement (3-6, 2-5 ISC) used its up-tempo scheme to nearly run the Trojans out of the gymnasium over the first three quarters. The Warriors pushed their lead to 51-41 before NEH mounted its comeback over the final 8 minutes.
"They really hurt us in transition, especially in that third quarter when they got that lead built up," John Seiser said. "They're a run and gun-type team and that's not our style, but we need to do a better job of transitioning back to defense."
Logan Seiser finished 9 of 19 from the field, including 5 of 10 from behind the 3-point arc. The junior forward added nine rebounds and three blocked shots.
"Logan had a great night," John Seiser said.
Stephen Chamness chipped in four points and a game-high 12 rebounds, and Ronnfeldt added 10 caroms.
Tyus Grant (17), Royce Timberwolf (13) and Kordell Bear (10) all scored in double figures for the Warriors.
Up next for NEH is a trip to Colo-NESCO on Friday.