Girls Game
MONROE – The saying “offense wins games, and defense wins championships” may be true. North Mahaska’s defense shut down No. 9 in Class 3A PCM’s leading scorer and rolled to a 52-32 nonconference victory. The Warhawk girls took the lead from PCM with just over three minutes left in the first quarter and led 12-7 after one period and 28-11 at halftime.
“I felt good about this game coming in, but our girls played really well,” said NM coach L.E. Moore. “Our defense was strong.”
NM senior Breckyn Schilling led the team overall with 22 points, five rebounds, five assists, three steals and a blocked shot. But it was reserve Nataliya Linder that provided a big lift. The sophomore came off the bench to score 10 points, all in the first half, and grab 12 rebounds. She also blocked two shots.
“She (Nataliya) made a big difference tonight,” said Moore. “Sometimes it’s not the minutes you play but how you play in those minutes.”
Moore told his girls at halftime to be ready for the first four minutes of the second half because he knew the Mustangs would make a run at the Warhawks. That run cut the lead to 10 points but could not pull closer.
“We knew that first four minutes of the third quarter they would be coming at us and we had to be ready,” said Moore. “We were able to weather the storm and come away with the win.”
Adding to the North Mahaska effort was Regan Grewe with seven points and three assists. Kayla Readshaw and Sydney Andersen each scored six points. Andersen added five rebounds, two steals and an assist. Readshaw had three steals.
Libby Winters powered PCM (6-1) with 17 points and 11 rebounds. Tori Lindsay was limited to nine points.
North Mahaska improves to 5-0. They will close out the pre-holiday season at Moravia Friday.
Boys Game
North Mahaska’s boys’ basketball team lost for the first time this season when they travelled to Monroe to take on Class 2A PCM. The Warhawks battled the host Mustangs but succumbed 51-48.
The game was physical, and NM rose to the challenge. Neither team held more than a six-point lead. Trenton DeBruin’s inside jumper with 2 minutes 36 seconds in the fourth quarter tied the contest at 42-42 for North Mahaska. PCM outscored the Warhawks 9-6 limiting North Mahaska to 3-pointers by Gabe Hora and Jaxon VanDerVeer the rest of the way.
North Mahaska (4-1) led 14-10 after one period then saw PCM take the lead on a 12-5 spree in the second period to lead 22-19 at halftime.
“I thought we handled the physicality well,” said NM coach Kevin Kelderman. “We played a nice defensive ball game. Jaxon (VanDerVeer) stepped into the starting role and played well.”
VanDerVeer got the start with the absence of Jack Kelderman due to illness. VanDerVeer finished with seven points, five rebounds and three assists. Asher DeBoef earned another double-double with 17 points and 15 rebounds. Adrian Smith scored 10 points and grabbed five rebounds with two blocked shots. Lucas Nunnikhoven and Hora each scored five points.
“Asher is Asher, and he goes hard to the end,” said Kelderman. “We had a good look at the end. We missed our screener, but we missed shots that normally fall. We’ll regroup and get ready for tomorrow.”
PCM had three players reach double figures in scoring led by Cutler VandeLune with 13. Gavin VanGorp and Alex Wendt each scored 10.
North Mahaska hosts Colfax-Mingo Tuesday and closes the first half of the season at Moravia Friday.
