PCM boys use fast start to down South Hamilton

MONROE — It’s been a tough season so far for the South Hamilton boys basketball team.

The Hawks, who were one of the best teams in the Heart of Iowa Athletic Conference just a few seasons ago, are being outscored by 39 points per game through nine games this season.

The expectation was that PCM would bring its record to .500 in conference play after their game on Friday, and that’s exactly what happened as the Mustangs used a 37-0 run in the first half to grab an advantage and cruised to a 68-28 home win during HOIAC action.

“You’ve had two weeks of practice, and you hope that it’s going to go the way it will, but when it does it’s refreshing,” PCM head boys basketball coach Tony Ford said. “The kids did what they were supposed to do. You don’t want to give a team any hope, especially on your home floor right after winter break.”

The Hawks had a sliver of hope early against PCM. The game was tied at 3-all, but the Mustangs grabbed control of the contest with 37 straight points that went into the second quarter.

PCM led 20-3 after one and 46-6 at halftime. Gavin Van Gorp scored 12 of his 15 points in the first half and seven of Chase Wagaman’s 11 came in the first two quarters.

Alex Wendt started the 37-0 run with a bucket inside and Wagaman and Van Gorp both scored five in the first to lead the hosts.

The second quarter opened with buckets inside by Wagaman, Wendt and Jake Winters and then Van Gorp buried consecutive 3-pointers to push the lead to 32-3.

Kevin Thomas drilled a 3 later and Pete Kiernan contributed a trio of triples late in the quarter to bring the halftime margin to 46-6.

“When you play a team that hasn’t won a game you just need to get on them quick so they can’t gain confidence in the game,” Wagaman said. “The other guys got their time to shine, too, and that’s great to watch.”

Wagaman scored his final points of the game on back-to-back possessions early in the third. Van Gorp also converted a three-point play, Thomas scored on a putback and Gavin DeRaad made a pair of free throws in the final seconds.

South Hamilton outscored the Mustangs 10-7 in the fourth. But Gavin DeRaad drained a 3 and Andy Bellinghausen and Easton Van Veen both scored inside the lane to cap the scoring.

It was the varsity debuts for Bellinghausen and Jeter Hartson and the first varsity points for Bellinghausen and Van Veen.

“We were looking forward to a game where everyone can play and get a bunch of time on the floor,” Ford said. “I was hoping it would go similar to this, but you just never know.”

Van Gorp led the Mustangs (4-4, 3-3) with 15 points, two rebounds, two assists and three steals.

Wagaman added 11 points, nine boards and six steals and Kiernan led the reserves with nine points and two boards.

Wendt finished with six points and five rebounds, Cutler VandeLune added five points, two assists and two steals and Kaleb DeVries contributed four rebounds, six assists and two steals.

PCM’s bench got plenty of production, too. Thomas had seven points and three rebounds, DeRaad registered five points and three rebounds and Joe Shaver tallied four rebounds and two assists.

Van Veen collected two rebounds and two assists, Winters scored four points and Brevin DeRaad corralled three rebounds.

The Mustangs shot 40 percent from the floor, made 9-of-34 from 3 and connected on 11-of-22 from the free-throw line.

PCM committed 15 turnovers but out-rebounded South Hamilton 39-25.

Wagaman is averaging eight points and nine rebounds per game this winter after totaling 35 points and 40 rebounds all of last season.

“I put in a lot of work over the offseason,” Wagaman said. “I didn’t like how I played last year. I thought I could have done a lot better so I’m using this year as my get-back year.”

The Hawks (0-9, 0-6) got 15 points, five rebounds and three steals from Grant Larson, but they were 0-of-13 from 3 and shot 26.5 percent from the floor. South Hamilton also turned the ball over 31 times.

“We put in a 1-2-2 defense over the break,” Ford said. “It gets us a lot of traps. There was no film on us running that. We got away with not running it perfectly, but it was still effective.”

Notes: The Mustangs played the game without Gavin Steenhoek, Kash Fischer and Shay Burns. Burns and Fischer are out with injuries and Steenhoek is set to return to action later this month. … PCM improved to 17-14 against South Hamilton since 2007. The win snapped the Mustangs’ two-game skid in the series, and the 40-point difference was the largest margin of victory in the series since at least 2007.