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DUNKERTON – The Dunkerton boys have officially clinched the Iowa Star North Conference title for the sixth time in seven years after a hard-fought 82-70 win over Riceville Friday.
Senior point guard Casey Gardner missed the game with a shoulder injury and according to head coach Todd Kuntz, he’ll absent until at least Tuesday.
As the state leader in assists in 1A, the lack of Gardner’s presence was felt on as the Raiders went into halftime trailing by two, 38-36. However, a second-half rally and a 41-point performance by Preston Gillespie (a tie for his personal best) got Dunkerton to the finish line and their 34th consecutive conference win.
“Can I just say I’m glad Preston Gillespie’s on my basketball team?” Kuntz laughed after the game. “That’s the story. I am glad he plays for us.”
The Wildcats got off to an early lead in the first quarter with ten points by sophomore Johnny Adams, who got them to a 22-20 lead. Dunkerton wrestled it away from Riceville twice in the second quarter only to lose it both times and ended the half back at a two-point deficit at 38-36.
In the third quarter, Gillespie helped shake the rust off the Raiders with 11 points. His efforts helped propel his teammates past the Wildcats for good 56-54 and they held the lead for the rest of the game.
“I think it was just a lack of confidence our guys had, so I tried just setting that wave of just saying, ‘we can do this, we can play,’” Gillespie said. “On defense in practice, we’re going way harder, so we’ve scored on a harder defense, so we have to really just have the confidence and… once that confidence kind of starts to build, we just start to ride.”
Early in the game, Dunkerton had a hard time landing its shots from a distance and failing to make a single three-pointer in the first half. At halftime, the team changed its strategy – position themselves close to the net and get in the paint.
“We got Preston around the basket a few more touches, but I think the biggest thing is we started attacking their pressure in transition and when they pressed us when we were able to break it, we were able to not just break it, but to get downhill and get... to the rim,” Kuntz said. “And I think that was our emphasis at halftime was just when our shots aren’t falling, we’ve got to give them paint.”
In the fourth quarter, the Raiders started to pull away from Riceville adding pressure and accelerating with 26 more points, including 13 by Gillespie. Frost, meanwhile, racked up an impressive 32 points total in one of his best games.
The Wildcats come out with a decisive win in the girls’ contest, putting Dunkerton away 61-36.
Tillotti Fair led them with 16 points, while Samantha Wilberding’s 12 points helped Riceville keep a comfortable lead.
According to head coach Darcy Fair, it was a good evening, especially considering the competition and considered the pass game one of the primary elements of their success.
“We do a lot of sharing the ball and I think that is very important down the stretch and in tough games like this, Dunkerton always plays us tough whenever we play them and especially when we’re down here,” Fair said.
Box scores
Girls
RICEVILLE – Madison Mauer 4-10 0-0 11, Jaylyn Beran 2-5 2-2 6, Joy Beran 3-9 2-3 8, Tillotti Fair 6-10 2-2 16, Samantha Wilberding 4-9 3-7 12, Taylor Hemann 2-2 0-0 5, Kylie Dvorak 0-1 0-0 0, Morgan Fair 1-1 0-0 3. Totals 23 9-14 61.
DUNKERTON – Daisy Fettkether 0-4 0-0 0, Maeson Wolff 6-11 1-1 16, Hailey Kipp 1-4 1-4 3, Peyton Smith 3-5 4-6 10, Mallory Tisue 1-2 2-2 4, Reese Tisue 0-4 0-0 0, Mily Schilling 1-1 1-2 3. Totals 12 9-15 36.
Riceville 9 18 14 20 – 61
Dunkerton 6 10 10 10 – 36
3-point goals – Riceville 6-19 (Mauer 3-9, Jaylyn Beran 0-3, Joy Beran 0-1, T. Fair 0-1, Wilberding 1-2, Heman 1-1, Dvorak 0-1, Fair 1-1). Dunkerton 3-12 (Wolff 3-8, Kipp 0-1, R. Tisue 0-3).
Boys
RICEVILLE – Jack Adams 2-4 0-0 4, Aidan Ebert 0-0 0-2 0, Johnny Adams 9-12 10-12 32, Trenton Swenson 7-8 1-3 21, Ryder Fair 0-8 2-4 2, Brian Grimm 0-3 0-0 0, Kaden Kobliska 4-8 0-0 8, Gunner Smith 1-1 0-1 3. Totals 23 13-20 70.
DUNKERTON – Braiden VanLengen 5-5 4-8 14, Dylan Marquart 2-8 1-2 6, Fuelling 1-9 0-2 2, Preston Gillespie 14-20 13-17 41, Jacob Snyder 2-5, 1-2 5, Dalton Weepie 3-3 2-2 8, Mason Michels 2-4 0-0 6. Totals 29 21-33 82.
Riceville 22 16 16 16 – 70
Dunkerton 20 16 20 26 – 82
3-point goals – Riceville 9-17 (Johnny Adams 4-5, Swenson 4-5, Fair 0-5, Kobliska 0-1, Smith 1-0), Dunkerton 3-18 (Marquart 1-7, Fuelling 0-5, Snyder 0-1, 2-4).
Boxscores
Girls
RICEVILLE – Madison Mauer 4-10 0-0 11, Jaylyn Beran 2-5 2-2 6, Joy Beran 3-9 2-3 8, Tillotti Fair 6-10 2-2 16, Samantha Wilberding 4-9 3-7 12, Taylor Hemann 2-2 0-0 5, Kylie Dvorak 0-1 0-0 0, Morgan Fair 1-1 0-0 3. Totals 23 9-14 61.
DUNKERTON – Daisy Fettkether 0-4 0-0 0, Maeson Wolff 6-11 1-1 16, Hailey Kipp 1-4 1-4 3, Peyton Smith 3-5 4-6 10, Mallory Tisue 1-2 2-2 4, Reese Tisue 0-4 0-0 0, Mily Schilling 1-1 1-2 3. Totals 12 9-15 36.
Riceville;9;18;14;20 – 61
Dunkerton;6;10;10;10 – 36
3-point goals – Riceville 6-19 (Mauer 3-9, Jaylyn Beran 0-3, Joy Beran 0-1, T. Fair 0-1, Wilberding 1-2, Heman 1-1, Dvorak 0-1, Fair 1-1). Dunkerton 3-12 (Wolff 3-8, Kipp 0-1, R. Tisue 0-3).
Boys
RICEVILLE – Jack Adams 2-4 0-0 4, Aidan Ebert 0-0 0-2 0, Johnny Adams 9-12 10-12 32, Trenton Swenson 7-8 1-3 21, Ryder Fair 0-8 2-4 2, Brian Grimm 0-3 0-0 0, Kaden Kobliska 4-8 0-0 8, Gunner Smith 1-1 0-1 3. Totals 23 13-20 70.
DUNKERTON – Braiden VanLengen 5-5 4-8 14, Dylan Marquart 2-8 1-2 6, Fuelling 1-9 0-2 2, Preston Gillespie 14-20 13-17 41, Jacob Snyder 2-5, 1-2 5, Dalton Weepie 3-3 2-2 8, Mason Michels 2-4 0-0 6. Totals 29 21-33 82.
Riceville;22;16;16;16 – 70
Dunkerton;20;16;20;26 – 82
3-point goals – Riceville 9-17 (Johnny Adams 4-5, Swenson 4-5, Fair 0-5, Kobliska 0-1, Smith 1-0), Dunkerton 3-18 (Marquart 1-7, Fuelling 0-5, Snyder 0-1, 2-4).