BELMONT — The Iowa–Grant boys had the answer for everything Belmont did in the second half as they defeated the host Braves 72–55 last Tuesday night.
After playing a closely contested game most of the first half, Iowa–Grant pulled away late in period thanks to some clutch late points from leading scorer Jackson Vigen.
Vigen ended the first half with 13 points, almost half of Panthers’ total as Iowa–Grant took a 27–18 lead into intermission.
Both teams started the second half hot, with each going back and forth sinking shots. Hot shooting, especially from the #10s, freshman Isaac Hill for Iowa–Grant and senior Jacob Amenda for Belmont, as the two players combining for 12 of the first 20 points on three pointers, mid-range jumpers, and layups; they did it all.
The Braves got as close as seven points after scoring six straight points, four from Justan Ernst and two from Amenda. The Panthers answered right back with an 11–5 run of its own to stretch their lead to 13.
Belmont then came back once again to shrink the lead to seven, but Iowa–Grant again regained its big lead by sinking four straight free throws on back to back possessions. Belmont was never able to get back into the game after that.
“I thought we showed a lot of resolve, then we were able to take a break and get our lead back,” said Iowa–Grant head coach Ryan Hill. “It’s nice from our young team to show that competitiveness to get back in the lead there.”
In the second half Belmont more than doubled their first half point total of 18 points by scoring 37 points. Iowa–Grant scored 45 points in the second half.
“We did come out strong in the second half,” said Belmont head coach Mitch Austin. “We talked some stuff offensively we need to do, our senior point guard Jacob Amenda really opened up and started to look for his own shot and that really loosened our offense up.”
Iowa-Grant moved to 5–12 overall with their non-conference win, while Belmont with the loss fell to 1–15 overall.
The leading scorer for the game was Hill, who finished with three 3-pointers and 22 points followed by Vigen who also hit three treys and scored 21 points.
Amanda and sophomore Brady Wedig of Belmont both scored 15 points to lead the Braves. Junior Collin Austin added 10 points in the loss.
“We played competitively and we opened up our offense in the second half,” added Austin. “Some things we have to fix defensively and we’ll talk about those in practice, but were continuing to find our offensive feeling.”
Thursday night Vigen had the hot hand once again in a 65–47 SWAL victory over visiting Riverdale.
The senior guard poured in a career-high 26 points to lead the Panthers (6–13, 4–7), who led 36–21 at the half and cruised to their fourth conference victory of the season. It was Vigen’s sixth 20-point game of the season.
Also on Thursday, Belmont suffered a 56–44 loss to visiting Shullsburg.
The sharp-shooting Miners (9–10, 5–4) made 10 3-pointers, five from Jacob Berendes in the 12-point win. Berendes finished with 19 points.
Wedig scored a team-high 14 points to lead the Braves (1–16), who fell to 1–9 in the Six Rivers West.
Iowa–Grant 72, Belmont 55
(from Tuesday, Feb. 6 @ Belmont)
Iowa–Grant 27 45 — 72
Belmont 18 37 — 55
Iowa–Grant (5–13) — Parker Velte 3, Jackson Vigen 21, Isaac Hill 22, Kruz Kitelinger 11, Michael Winders 9, Ethan Kuhls 2, Dakota Kohlenberg 4. Totals — 25 13-21 72.
Belmont (1–15) — Justan Ernst 4, Ethan James 5, Jacob Amenda 15, Colin Austin 10, Tommy Logsdon 2, Luke Kamps 4, Brady Wedig 15. Totals – 22 8-17 55.
3-point goals — IG: 9 (Vigen 3, Hill 3, Kitelinger 2), B: 3 (James 1, Amenda 1, Austin 1). Total fouls — IG: 17 B: 17. Fouled out — none.
Iowa–Grant 65, Riverdale 47
(from Thursday, Feb. 8 @ Iowa–Grant)
Riverdale 21 26 — 47
Iowa–Grant 36 29 — 65
Riverdale (0–16, 0–11) — Max Krueger 3, Hunter Post 2, Brad Frazier 9, Oakley Schneider 9 Michael Schaefer 10, Dawson Mueller 4, Cody Sperry 10. Totals – 18 6-11 47.
Iowa–Grant (6–13, 4–7) — Jackson Vigen 25, Isaac Hill 7, Kruz Kitelinger 5, Michael Winders 11, Ethan Kuhls 7, Dakota Kohlenberg 10. Totals — 23 16-25 65.
3-point goals — R: 5 (Krueger 1, Schneider 3, Sperry 1), IG: 3 (Vigen 1, Winders 1, Kitelinger 1). Total fouls — R: 22, IG: 12. Fouled out — R: Mueller, Speary.
Shullsburg 56, Belmont 44
(from Thursday, Feb. 8 @ Belmont)
Shullsburg — 56
Belmont — 44
Shullsburg (9–10, 5–4) — Jacob Berendes 19, Alex Wand 2, Nolan Strang 3, Joseph Turpin 7, Dylan Heim 6, Griffin Wiegel 9, Kyle Klotz 6, Isaac Hoppman 4. Totals — 21 4-8 56.
Belmont (1–16, 1–9) — Justan Ernst 2, Ethan James 11, Jacob Amenda 1, Colin Austin 9, Luke Kamps 7, Brady Wedig 14. Totals – 14 14-24 44.
3-point goals — S: 10 (Berendes 5, Strang 1, Trupin 1, Wiegel 1, Klotz 2), B: 1 (James 1, Austin 1). Total fouls — S: 18, B: 14. Fouled out — S: Hoppman.
