MCDONALD'S SWNEWS4U.COM GAME OF THE WEEK (Dec. 30–Jan. 6)
BOYS BASKETBALL: #8 Belmont 70, Iowa–Grant 69
By Jason Nihles, The Platteville Journal / Fennimore Times / Boscobel Dial
Havens lifts Braves over host Panthers with game-winning layup with 12 seconds left
TOWN OF MIFFLIN — Sophomore Boone Havens scored the game-winning layup with 12 seconds left to lift visiting Belmont to a 70–69 non-conference win at Iowa–Grant last Tuesday night.
Havens finished the game with a career-high 27 points on 10 of 17 shooting and had three rebounds, three assists and two steals.
Iowa–Grant (4–2), which rallied from an 15-point first-half deficit, 39–24, to take a one-point lead on a free throw by Everett Zimmer with 1:26 in the game, had one final chance to win the game, but after a timeout, junior Tyler Schultz’s step-back 3-pointer at the buzzer went long and Treaton Loffelholz’s potential game-winning tip-in came after time had expired.
"Iowa–Grant to their credit made a lot of good plays defensively and they never gave up," said Belmont head coach Beau Buchs. "They came back and took a lead on us late. Boone Havens really picked us up and found a way to score the game winner with around 10 seconds left. He did a nice job on that possession understanding if he could get all the way to the rim, it was a high chance we would go back ahead. He made a heck of a play in that moment. We learned some things that day in how to play with a lead and make sure we slow down instead of speeding ourselves up. Iowa–Grant is a solid team and I was impressed by how hard they play and also with their grit in that second half."
Schultz was 3-for-7 from downtown prior to the final miss and finished the game with 11 points. Senior Sam Lundell and junior Grant Rickard scored 14 points each, and senior Treaton Loeffelholz chipped in 12 points and seven boards to lead the Panthers.
“I felt that we came into the game really prepared for Belmont,” said IG head coach Shawn Dailey. “We had four straight days to prepare for them, which I thought were some of our best practices of the year.
However, for whatever reason we just didn’t come out at the opening tip ready to compete. Our help defense wasn’t there early, allowing Belmont easy inside baskets. We turned the ball over, and took some bad shots. Before we knew it we were already down 9–0 and then 15–3.”
“I am very proud of how we kept fighting and didn’t quit in the second half,” added Dailey. “Belmont led the entire game by double digits and we battled back and found a way to take our first lead of the game right at the end.”
Sophomore center Thomas Freeman had 17 points, nine rebounds and four assists, and classmate Wyatt Temperly added nine points, nine rebounds and seven assists for the winners.
“Hats off to Belmont. They are an extremely well coached team and have a lot of excellent players,” said Dailey. “They are going to be such a scary team to play the next few years.”
"We came out strong offensively and we were very efficient at the start," added Buchs. "Iowa–Grant battled back and put some pressure on us in the second half. It was a bit uncharacteristic of our team to struggle against the press. That day, we had a string of turnovers which brought IG back into the game."
#8 Belmont 70, Iowa–Grant 69
(from Tuesday, Dec. 30 @ Iowa–Grant)
Belmont.........44 26 — 70
Iowa–Grant...33 36 — 69
Belmont (6–1) — Ian Austin 6, Wyatt Temperly 9, Griffin McNett 2, Boone Havens 27, Logan Kress 8, Chase Riechers 1, Thomas Freeman 17. Totals — 24 13-20 70.
Iowa–Grant (4–2) — Tyler Schultz 11, Landon Friesen 9, Sam Lundell 14, Everett Zimmer 9, Grant Rickard 14, Treaton Loeffelholz 12. Totals — 25 10-19 69.
3-pointers — B: 9 (Austin 1, Temperly 1, Havens 5, Kress 2); IG: 9 (Schultz 3, Friesen 1, Lundell 3, Loeffelholz 2). Team Fouls — B: 14, IG: 19. Fouled out — B: Freeman; IG: Zimmer.
