Five Takeaways: Ankeny Christian Academy 70, EBF 68
Ankeny — Ten undefeated teams remain in Iowa, Class 1A power Ankeny Christian Academy — just barely –remains on that exclusive list. After a sluggish start, the Eagles (18-0) were able to make a 16-1 run at the start of…
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Continue ReadingAnkeny — Ten undefeated teams remain in Iowa, Class 1A power Ankeny Christian Academy — just barely –remains on that exclusive list.
After a sluggish start, the Eagles (18-0) were able to make a 16-1 run at the start of the second quarter, and took a 35-25 lead into halftime. That dominant stretch was the big moment in this one.
The third quarter, though, belonged to EBF. The Rockets got 12 points in the first four minutes of the second half from senior guard Levi Strausser. That’s especially impressive considering he averages 6.4 points per game.
The final quarter was a tight, back-and-forth affair that culminated with a missed contested tip-in try by the Rockets.
Senior point guard Jayce Goergen led the way for ACA with 18 points, fellow senior Caleb Gizzle added 16 points and nine blocks. Trey Moore was really good for the Rockets (11-3), he scored 23.
That list of ten unbeaten teams: Ar-We-Va, Stanton, ACA, Boyden-Hull, Clear Lake, New London. West Sioux, Montezuma, North Linn, North Scott.
The Eagles win a nailbiter against 2A Eddyville tonight at home 70-68, improving to 17-0 on the season! Way to go, boys! 🦅🏀 #AnkenyChristianBasketball pic.twitter.com/cgC4Qeds35
— Ankeny Christian (@AnkenyChristian) February 3, 2019
Team Scoring
EBF — 15 10 27 16 — 68
ACA — 11 24 16 19 — 70
Individual Scoring
EBF: Trey Moore 23, Levi Strausser 17, Wyatt Klyn 13, Gabe Larkin 8, Ryan Adams 4, DJ Stout 3.
ACA: Jayce Goergen 18, Caleb Grizzle 16, Nic Worsham 10, Chad Elrod 8, Daniel Lounsbrough 7, David Nelson 6, Cale Leever 5.
Five Takeaways
Grizzle Key Down Stretch
With the game tied at 66, and less than a minute left, Caleb Gizzle caught the ball on the perimeter. He took two dribbles and found himself caught in the lane, eight-feet from the hoop. After some delay, he decided taking matters into his own hands was the move. He flung up a jumper-floater, it dropped. That proved to be the biggest bucket of the game. When then the Rockets came down to try and tie it, Grizzle came away with a block, it was the biggest of his nine swats on the night. It was one of the most clutch sequences we’ve seen from a player this season.
Trey Moore
We knew that EBF was going to have some good players, they were 11-2 coming in to the game, and had some guys that were putting up some good numbers. Trey Moore proved to be serious problem all night for ACA. He led the all scorers with 23 points, he was scoring efficiently from all over the court. This season, the well-built 6-foot guard is averaging 17 points per game and is also the co-assist leader for the Rockets. Moore makes this EBF squad a serious threat come postseason.
Atmosphere
The ACA side was packed. And not just that, but loud, too. Winning 18 games in a row to start the season certainly helps build a fan-base, and the Eagles are not lacking in that department. The game was back-and-forth, tight throughout. When ACA went on a 16-1 run in the second quarter, their crowd got going. When things got tense in the very end, it was as loud as you’d expect a large crowd in a small gym to be.
Four at the Buzzer
Maybe a couple times a season I see a four-point play, which is when a guy buries a 3-ball and is fouled, then makes the subsequent free-throw. We had one of those in this game, at the send of the second quarter. It was Trey Moore who corralled a ball in the corner and let one fly just before the first half buzzer sounded. He hit the deck just after he released it, that’s when the whistle blew. Alone at the charity stripe line, he sank the free-throw. It was the first four-point play I’ve seen this season at high school game. And it’s the only buzzer-beating four-pointer I’ve ever seen.
The Unbeatens
After Waukee lost to Linn-Mar on Saturday, only 10 teams now remain in Iowa without a loss. Ankeny Christian’s unbeaten streak will be put to the test in the final week of the regular season. They’ll end it with a trip to Eddyville, to play this same Rockets team at their place this time. The Eagles play 2A squad Albia and North Mahaska ahead of that final regular season match-up against the Rockets.