The Van Buren County boys basketball team came up just short in a high-scoring shootout against Centerville on Saturday, December 6th, falling 79-77 in a game that featured 156 combined points. The Warriors dropped to 1-2 on the season, while the Big Reds improved to 3-0.
Game Recap
The contest remained tight through the first half, with Centerville holding slim leads of 15-14 after the first quarter and 39-38 at halftime. Van Buren County caught fire in the third quarter, particularly from beyond the arc, outscoring Centerville to take a 66-57 advantage into the final frame. The Big Reds battled back in the fourth quarter to edge the Warriors by two points in a thrilling finish.
Centerville was led by Malachi Rice, who delivered a historic performance with 50 points on 17-of-33 shooting. Rice’s scoring explosion came less than 24 hours after he set a new Centerville school record with 49 points against Cardinal on Friday, December 5th. In breaking his own record, Rice tallied an astounding 99 points across the two games in back-to-back nights.
Van Buren County’s balanced offensive attack kept them competitive throughout, with the Warriors connecting on an impressive 17-of-36 from three-point range, powering their third-quarter surge.
Statistics
Starters:
Jace Duncan led Van Buren County with 23 points on 7-of-10 shooting, including an impressive 6-of-9 from three-point range. He did most of the offensive work in the second half with 17 points. He also added one rebound, two assists, and one steal. He got three fouls in the first half, but managed to not get anymore throughout the rest of the game. Will Cocherell contributed 20 points, five rebounds, a team-high seven assists, one steal, and one block. Landry Loeffler finished with 19 points, nine rebounds, two assists, and one steal while shooting 7-of-12 from the field and 5-of-8 from three-point range. Lincoln Bainbridge added three points, one assist, and committed zero turnovers. Kinnick Millard made his impact felt with seven rebounds, five assists, two steals, and two blocks before fouling out.
Bench:
Brandon Taylor provided a spark with 10 points in the first half, two assists, and one steal. Kayden Simmons chipped in two points and one steal.
As a team, Van Buren County shot 26-of-58 from the field, 17-of-36 from three-point range, and 8-of-15 from the free-throw line. The Warriors totaled 22 rebounds, committed 14 turnovers, and were called for 19 fouls.
Centerville shot 29-of-64 from the field, 4-of-17 from three-point range, and 17-of-21 from the free-throw line. The Big Reds grabbed 35 rebounds, turned the ball over 12 times, and committed 16 fouls.
The Warriors received strong performances from their trio of Duncan, Cocherell, and Loeffler, who combined for 62 points and showcased Van Buren County’s offensive firepower. The team’s 17 three-pointers demonstrated their ability to stretch the floor.
The Warriors (1-2) will look to build on their offensive efficiency as they continue their season on Tuesday, December 9th at home against West Burlington.
You can rewatch all the action here: https://youtube.com/live/w_3AdBxi4dk?feature=share
Photography courtesy of Jaime Moquin.
