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Early exam for Hawks

Two teams enter unbeaten, only one will exit

South Hamilton guard Cole Berg (5) attempts a one-handed dunk on a breakaway against Roland-Story earlier this month. Berg averages 9.2 points per game entering tonight’s road game against PCM. DFJ photo/Troy Banning

WEBSTER CITY — With Marco Balderas forced into the role as bystander, the South Hamilton boys’ basketball team could have gone two ways during this early-season stretch. The Hawks could have made excuses or they could have put their head down and bulldozed ahead.

Meet the bulldozer.

Without its floor leader the last two games, No. 6-ranked (Class 2A) South Hamilton has won by 34 and 20 points. In other words, it’s been business as usual.

“No matter who it is, we’ll never use missing anybody as an excuse,” South Hamilton head coach Nathan Hill said. “We have a lot of kids who have thrived a little bit in being able to contribute maybe in a different role.”

South Hamilton (6-0, 4-0 HOIC) will face its biggest challenge without its third-team all-state senior point guard this evening when it hits the road to take on Prairie City-Monroe (5-0, 4-0 HOIC) in a fight for the outright lead in the Heart of Iowa Conference.

Conner Hill glides in for an easy basket against Roland-Story earlier this month. Hill has moved over to play the point in Marco Balderas’s absence for South Hamilton. DFJ photo/Troy Banning

Just 15 2A teams remain unbeaten and that number will shrink by one tonight. But the Hawks aren’t worried about their perfect record; they’re just looking forward to the challenge.

“You want to have these games early in the year because it gives both teams an opportunity to see where you’re at,” Nathan Hill said. “The kids are definitely looking forward to it.”

When South Ham

ilton’s players stand across from their counterparts at PCM, in many ways they’ll be looking into a mirror.

Both teams can put up points in bunches. PCM, which opened its season with a 74-7 trip to the woodshed against Saydel, averages 65.2 points per game, while South Hamilton puts up 62 an outing. Neither likes to give up many points either; the Hawks have held four opponents in the 30s, including their last three, and allow just 39.3 points per game. The Mustangs limit their foes to 42 points.

So are we looking at a potential high-scoring shootout? Or will this be a grind-it-out defensive battle? Hill predicts it could be the latter and that’s just fine with him.

“It’s a game that we could definitely win if it’s in the 40s,” he said. “Our goal every game is to try to keep teams in the 40s. Some nights it works out that way and some nights it doesn’t. But I don’t expect this to be a super high-scoring game.”

Balderas is the Hawks’ leader in points per game, steals and assists, so his absence will be noticed. But Conner Hill has shifted over from shooting guard to run the point and has looked right at home, and Logan Peters has increased his scoring; he’s poured in 20 and 13 in back-to-back games and has led the team in both.

“Conner’s most natural position has always been the point guard position and he’s always been willing to do what the team has needed,” Nathan Hill said. “(Peters) has done a nice job of stepping up and being ready when those (scoring) opportunities have been presented.”

Peters (11.2 ppg), Conner Hill (10.2), Cole Berg (9.2 ppg) and Logan Klemp (8.0 ppg) all give South Hamilton scoring threats.

The Hawks will face an equally balanced offense from PCM, which has four players who average 8.2 points or better. Andrew Van Ryswyk is the leader at 11.8 a night and Elijah Sperfslage (10.2) also averages in double figures.

South Hamilton will face anther stiff challenge Saturday night when it hosts always tough Fort Dodge St. Edmond in a non-conference clash.

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