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New-look Hawks no match for experienced Titans

SCC cranks out 11 triples in runaway

South Hamilton’s Teagan Trask looks for an entry pass opportunity during the first quarter against South Central Calhoun on Tuesday. DFJ photo/Angela Hewitt

ROCKWELL CITY — Matt Juber knew his inexperienced South Hamilton boys’ basketball team was potentially marching straight into the belly of the beast Tuesday night.

South Central Calhoun is a returning state qualifier. South Hamilton has just one player on its roster with any starting experience. And for 32 minutes, the season opener for both teams played out that way.

Behind 11 3-point baskets and a dominant effort in the second and third quarters, SCC handed South Hamilton an early-season lesson, 57-35. The Titans (1-0) outscored the Hawks (0-1) 44-18 in the middle 16 minutes, forced 27 turnovers and limited the visitors to 23 percent shooting en route to the runaway.

“A tough night for our guys,” Juber said. “It wasn’t something that was totally unexpected given our lack of returning experience and production. South Central Calhoun is going to have a really good year; they’re long, physical and they put five guys on the floor that can shoot the ball.”

Ahead 34-19 at the half, SCC ripped off a 17-2 flurry in the third quarter to put the game out of reach. South Hamilton scored just five points combined in the first and third quarters.

“The second half was a situation where SCC smelled blood at halftime and they just pounced in the third quarter and put the game out of reach pretty quickly,” Juber said.

“We aren’t going to transform over night, but we have to trust the process and grow game by game. And if we do that, I think we will see our guys really make some big steps forward later in the season.”

Landen Skartvedt, the only returning Hawk with significant varsity playing time, and Jonathan Drake both scored 11 points in the loss. Skartvedt also had five rebounds and Drake collected three steals.

Nic Flaugh contributed five points and eight rebounds.

Eli Wheelock cashed in on four of the Titans’ triples and scored a game-high 22 points. Gavin Batta scored all nine of his points from behind the arc.

South Hamilton will be back on the road this evening for a non-conference game against Iowa Falls-Alden in Iowa Falls.

SC Calhoun 57, S. Hamilton 35

Tuesday at Rockwell City

South Hamilton (0-1) — Teagan Trask 0 3-4 3, Landon Grove 0 0-0 0, Aiden Johnson 0 0-0 0, Owen Renaud 0 3-4 3, Tucker Clabaugh 0 0-0 0, Landen Skartvedt 4 0-0 11, Chase Friest 0 0-0 0, Noah Gunderson 1 0-0 2, Nic Flaugh 2 0-0 5, Jonathan Drake 4 1-2 11, Jack Moline 0 0-0 0. Totals: 11 7-10 35.

South Central Calhoun (1-0) — Joe Clark 3 0-0 7, Cole Higgins 0 0-0 0, Antonio Sanders 2 4-4 8, Ethan Myers 1 0-0 3, Joshua Dietrich 1 0-0 3, Gavin Batta 3 0-0 9, Eli Wheelock 8 2-2 22, Andrew Anderson 0 0-0 0, Tyler Lightner 2 0-0 5, Kadynn Isaacs 0 0-0 0, Aiden Westcott 0 0-0 0, Jacob Kalkwarf 0 0-0 0, Jared Strong 0 0-0 0, Keegan Soard 0 0-0 0, Bryce Berquist 0 0-0 0. Totals: 20 6-6 57.

S. Hamilton 3 16 2 14 — 35

SC Calhoun 7 27 17 6 — 57

3-point field goals — SH 6 (Skartvedt 3, Drake 2, Flaugh); SCC 11 (Wheelock 4, Batta 3, Clark, Myers, Dietrich, Lightner). Rebounds — SH 37 (Flaugh 8, Skartvedt 5). Steals — SH 9 (Grove 3, Drake 3). Assists — SH 7 (Friest 2). Turnovers — SH 27. Team fouls — SH 14, SCC 11. Fouled out — none.

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