Coming off a difficult loss to Mediapolis on Friday, the Van Buren County boys basketball team rebounded in a big way Monday night, earning a 66–51 victory over Cardinal in a game rescheduled from December 1st. The win lifted the Warriors to 2–4 on the season, while Cardinal fell to 0–4.
Game Recap
Van Buren County came out sharp offensively, especially from beyond the arc, and jumped out to a 14–3 lead early. The Warriors held a 16–9 advantage at the end of the first quarter and carried a 27–22 lead into halftime. Momentum stayed with Van Buren County in the third quarter as they extended the lead to 48–38.
Cardinal made a push midway through the third frame, cutting the deficit to five at 48–43, but the Warriors quickly regained control. A strong finish, including timely scoring and solid free-throw shooting, helped Van Buren County pull away for the 15-point win.
Van Buren County Stats
Van Buren County received balanced scoring throughout the lineup, with several players stepping up at key moments. Game statistics were tracked throughout the night by broadcaster Shan Moquin.
Kinnick Millard led the Warriors with 20 points, scoring 15 of those in the second half to help seal the victory. Will Cocherell added 17 points, including 15 in the first half before twisting his ankle in the third quarter. Jace Duncan finished with 13 points despite early foul trouble. Lincoln Bainbridge contributed seven points, Brandon Taylor added six, Landry Loeffler scored two, and Cree Kite chipped in one.
As a team, Van Buren County committed 10 turnovers compared to 17 for Cardinal. Cardinal held a slight rebounding edge, 36–33. From the free-throw line, the Warriors shot 9-of-14 overall, including 6-of-10 in the fourth quarter, while Cardinal went 7-of-15.
Cardinal was led by Alijah Frase, who scored a game-high 22 points.
The Warriors will look to build on the momentum from Monday’s win as they continue their schedule at home versus conference opponent Holy Trinity Catholic on Tuesday, December 16th.
Photography courtesy of Jaime Moquin.
