Cyclone boys survive at Kuemper

 CARROLL -- No matter what happens in Harlan each year, the return trip to play at Kuemper Catholic is rarely an easy proposition for the Harlan Community boys basketball team.
 Such was the case again Tuesday night.
 Just two and a half weeks after beating the Knights 82-53, the Cyclones shot 32.6 percent from the field and missed 11 free throws but held on for a 50-48 Hawkeye Ten road victory when Kyle Berg’s 12-foot baseline shot was off the mark as the final horn sounded.
 Kuemper, which trailed 48-42 with less than two minutes to play, missed the second of two foul shots with 5.8 seconds left but regained possession when the ball was knocked out of bounds by a Cyclone. After initially struggling to get the ball inbounded, the Knights found Berg along the right baseline with :01.9 on the clock. His potential game-tying jumper bounced off the rim - just long - allowing HCHS to escape with its fourth straight win.
 The Cyclones improved to 6-4 overall and 4-2 inside the conference, good for fourth place behind Lewis Central (7-0), Denison-Schleswig (4-0) and Glenwood (4-1). The Knights dropped to 3-7 overall and 2-3 in the H-10.
 “We will take the win,” said HCHS head coach Mitch Osborn.
 Connor Bruck led the Cyclones with 15 points off the bench, including two treys and 7-of-11 foul shots. Brett Sears and Johnathan Monson scored 10 points each and Cheek added seven.
 Despite an off shooting night, Sears crashed the glass for 12 rebounds while Monson and Michael Heithoff both added six. HCHS outrebounded Kuemper 39-30, including 20 offensive boards.