Following a competitive first half, Boyden-Hull tripled the score on Hartley-Melvin-Sanborn during the final 16 minutes to blitz the Hawks 96-56 January 27 at Hartley. The Comets capped their effort with a 37-point fourth quarter and outscored HMS 56-18 after intermission. The loss dropped the Hawks’ season mark to 5-10. Boyden-Hull, which is battling Central Lyon for the top spot in the Siouxland Conference, improved to 15-1 on the season.
“It was a game of two halves,” observed Hawk head coach Naet Hoaglund. “I thought we came out and competed really hard in the first half. We were playing relaxed and confident. Our energy was good. We moved the ball around and got a lot of guys involved early.”
The coach cited the difference in the Comets following halftime. “Boyden-Hull came out with a vengeance in the second half and really locked things down on the defensive end,” said Hoaglund. “Unfortunately we let our offensive struggles affect our play on the defensive end and Boyden-Hull blew it open on us. They are so fast in transition and so smooth offensively, once that train gets moving, it’s hard to stop.” Hoaglund felt the Hawks needed to do a better job on the boards and in getting back on defense. “Our effort was not where it needed to be in that fourth quarter,” said the coach. “I think we can take some things from this game and use it to grow, but it all starts with the willingness to compete despite what the scoreboard reads.”
HMS was outrebounded 41-22. Kooper Ebel and Lance Berends each grabbed six rebounds for the Hawks. The five blocked shots included three by Berends and one each from Ebel and Keevyn Jacobsma. Ebel made two steals as did Travis Kamradt. The turnover totals showed 13 for HMS and eight for the Comets.
Berneds led the Hawks with 20 points, followed by Ebel with 19, Brinkman with eight, Keevyn Jacobsma with five, Jordan Ortega with three and Brenton Thomas with one. Jacobsma also had a pair of assists. Tanner Te Slaa poured in 37 points for Boyden-Hull.
HMS shot well at 46 percent (21-of-46), but the Comets were better at 52 percent (39-of-75). The Hawks made five of their 22 long range shots while Boyden-Hull was 8-of-20 from three-point range. The Comets were a crisp 10-of-11 at the free throw line where HMS went 9-for-19.
B-H 20 20 19 37 – 96
HMS 19 19 5 13 – 56