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Hawks fade down stretch against Gilbert

Fouls, injuries and illness all work against SH boys

South Hamilton’s Freddie Lewis (20) looks to score from the baseline against Gilbert on Friday in Jewell. DFJ photo/Troy Banning

JEWELL — Foul trouble, injury, illness — South Hamilton experienced them all to key players in perhaps the one game where those variables would hurt the most on Coach Jim Marsh Court Friday night.

The result — a 71-57 loss to rival Gilbert and the realization that the Hawks will now need help if they’re going to win a fourth consecutive Heart of Iowa Conference championship.

The Tigers started and ended hot, as they rode the first and fourth quarters to victory in a match-up of the co-league leaders prior to tip-off.

Gilbert (10-4, 7-2 HOIC) opened the contest on a 15-4 run and ended it on an 8-0 spurt to vanquish the Hawks (8-5, 7-3 HOIC), who were short-handed and simply ran out of steam down the stretch. The Tigers put up 21 first-quarter points and, leading just 44-43 after three quarters, outscored South Hamilton 27-14 over the final eight minutes.

“There were multiple times where we took a punch, but we punched back,” South Hamilton head coach Matt Juber said. “The boys worked their tails off. They battled, they hung for 32 minutes, but we were definitely gassed (late in the contest).”

South Hamilton sophomore reserve Tycin Barkema (5) challenges Gilbert’s Tony Terrones (21) on a drive towards the basket during the first half Friday night in Jewell. Barkema scored a career-high 11 points. DFJ photo/Troy Banning

How South Hamilton was even in contention entering the fourth quarter was a bit of a mystery.

Senior forward Cade Balvanz, the Hawks’ leading scorer, played just 4 minutes, 58 seconds of the first half. He went to the bench with two fouls at the 5:58 mark of the first quarter, didn’t return until the start of the second and then drew his third foul with six minutes remaining in the half.

Kyler Hodnefield, a starting guard for the Hawks, went down with a sprained ankle with 2:20 to go in the first quarter and was unable to return.

Doran Lutjen, No. 2 on the team in scoring behind Balvanz, didn’t play at all in the third quarter and only for a brief moment in the fourth due to a breathing issue.

Juber had to call on sophomore Tycin Barkema to help pick up the slack and he more than delivered. Playing his most extensive varsity minutes, Barkema buried three 3-pointers and scored a career-high 11 points, all while directing the offense in the second half.

DFJ photo/Troy Banning

Austin Busch also got extended minutes and helped on the inside. Freddie Lewis took a more aggressive approach and scored 10 points.

“Sometimes it just doesn’t go your way, but it’s really good to see some of those younger guys step up and give me the confidence that they can handle that pressure, that moment,” Juber said.

Quinton Grove seemingly willed the Hawks back from the early deficit while Balvanz was forced to watch. The senior scored all 10 of his points in the opening half and even gave the Hawks a brief lead, 23-22, before Gilbert answered to take a 31-26 edge into the break.

Grove and Lewis both had six rebounds and four assists.

“(Grove) keeps everything together,” Juber said. “He’s a vocal leader when he needs to be and he just does it by example. He’s always willing to lay it on the line for me and the guys he’s playing for.”

DFJ photo/Troy Banning

Balvanz, who had just two first-half points, made up for it in the second half. He took over inside and scored 16 of his team-high 18, and he also corralled seven boards.

Back-to-back three-point plays by Balvanz pulled the Hawks within six, 63-57, with 1:55 remaining.

Turnovers were an issue throughout for the Hawks, but particularly early against Gilbert’s zone press and defense. They finished with 19 turnovers.

“We didn’t have the start we wanted and we could have handled it better,” Juber said.

Jack Dresser led Gilbert and all scorers with 20 points and Tony Terrones pitched in 15 more.

DFJ photo/Troy Banning

Gilbert 71, South Hamilton 57

Friday at Jewell

Gilbert (10-4, 7-2 HOIC) — Matt Ockey 3 1-3 7, Tucker Hanson 3 0-0 7, Birk Hanson 3 0-0 7, Nick Chasey 0 0-0 0, Jacob Papesh 3 0-2 6, Tony Terrones 4 7-10 15, Jack Dresser 7 4-4 20, Justin Terry 0 2-2 2, Easton Johnson 2 2-5 6. Totals: 25 16-26 71.

South Hamilton (8-5, 7-3 HOIC) — Brock Galetich 0 0-0 0, Aaron Hegland 0 0-0 0, Carter Hewitt 1 0-1 2, Tycin Barkema 4 0-0 11, Doran Lutjen 1 0-0 3, Austin Busch 1 0-1 2, Quinton Grove 3 3-3 10, Freddie Lewis 2 6-9 10, Kyler Hodnefield 0 0-0 0, Cade Balvanz 8 3-6 19. Totals: 20 12-20 57.

Gilbert 21 10 13 27 — 27

S. Ham. 17 9 17 14 — 57

3-point field goals — GIL 4 (Dresser 2, T. Hanson, B. Hanson); SH 5 (Barkema 3, Lutjen, Grove). Rebounds — SH 32 (Balvanz 7, Grove 6, Lewis 6). Steals — SH 4. Assists — SH 14 (Grove 4, Lewis 4). Turnovers — SH 19. Team fouls — GIL 18, SH 19. Fouled out — none.

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