Cyclones snap 3-game losing streak
After three tough losses, the HCHS Cyclones boys basketball team got back in the win column with a Tuesday night 67-45 home win over the Denison Monarchs.
“It feels nice,” said Cyclone Junior Dallas McDowell. “We were playing together. We’re catching a rhythm, so it’s fun to play with the guys out there and get a win.”
Senior Cyclone Jozef Reisz got his team their first bucket of the game with a layup, which was followed by a steal from Sophomore Kobe Klaassen that turned into a mid-range basket. A few plays later, McDowell hit a floater from mid-range, followed by a layup from Senior Weston Reisz as the Cyclones got out on an 8-2 run.
“At the end of the first quarter, we sort of told them that they’ve got to get deflections and get defensive rebounding,” said Cyclone Head Coach Mitch Osborn.
The second quarter began with back-to-back buckets from Junior Monarch Camdyn Nemitz including a reverse layup, but the Cyclone offense responded with a 3-pointer from McDowell and a mid-range shot from Klaassen forcing a timeout from the Monarchs.
When play resumed, Nemitz made a 3-pointer, but Freshman Cyclone Kreed Boggess answered back with 3-pointer, followed by McDowell giving them their first lead at 23-22 since early in the first quarter.
“We were making hustle plays and taking good shots,” McDowell said. “Trusting your teammates helps us get points on the board and helps us get wins.”
The final shot of the half came from McDowell who made another 3-pointer as the Cyclones took a 31-24 point lead into the locker room.
“The first 3-4 minutes of the third quarter are going to be huge,” Osborn said. “We’ve got to come out of the locker room very good and I thought we did tonight and got a bucket right away.”
Klaassen drilled a 3-pointer to open the third quarter, along with a 3-pointer from an unlikely source in Weston Reisz, who made his third 3-point shot of the season to put the Cyclones up 37-30.
“I’m very happy for him,” Osborn said of Reisz. “He makes them in practice. I told him he’s got to be a little more aggressive. He got a couple of offensive rebounds. He got a put back. It was great to see.”
Klaassen continued to dominate on the offensive end of the floor scoring seven straight points, followed by a layup from McDowell to end the quarter leading 49-35.
“We’ve been playing with each other for a few years, so the chemistry is there,” McDowell said. “We know where the other one is going to be at and we look for open buckets and we get them.”
Klaassen opened the fourth quarter with another 3-pointer, followed by a mid-range shot from McDowell. McDowell hit back-to-back shots shortly after, including a shot off the backboard. Senior Ben Leinen drove down court coming up with a layup under the hoop as the Cyclones easily cruised to victory, their sixth of the season.
The Cyclones return to action Friday at home against the 7-8 Creston Panthers. The Panthers are led by Senior Jake Hoyt averaging 19.3 points and 8.9 rebounds per game, along with Senior Parker Varner averaging 2.3 assists per game.
“It’s on our home floor, I love that,” Osborn said. “I dread going to Creston. Jake Hoyt is a great offensive player and [Rhett] Driskell is a 3-point shooter. They have good role players and they’ve been playing everybody tough.”
