HCHS boys face tough tourney trail

 ADEL -- The Harlan Community boys basketball team will open Class 3A tournament play Monday (Feb. 22) with a 7:00 p.m. Substate 8 quarterfinal game at ADM.
 The Cyclones (9-10) and Tigers (9-11) took similar records into their final regular season games Thursday, HCHS playing at fourth-ranked Carroll and ADM hosting Newton.
 The winner of Monday’s contest will almost certainly earn a substate semifinal matchup with third-ranked Dallas Center-Grimes on Thursday, Feb. 25. The Mustangs took a 17-2 record into their clash with top-ranked Ballard on Thursday and will host a winless Perry team on Monday night.
 The bottom half of the bracket features No. 6 Glenwood (19-2) vs. Clarke (7-11) and Atlantic (12-6) against Creston (9-9).
 HCHS head coach Mitch Osborn says that Substate 8 is “extremely tough” and he knows the fifth-seeded Cyclones will have their hands full with the fourth-seeded Tigers Monday.
 “ADM has played an extremely tough schedule and is a very good team that really can light it up from the three-point line, hitting 39 percent for the season (with) very balanced scoring,” said Osborn. “Getting the home court is a huge advantage so we will really have to step up to another level to compete with ADM. If we are fortunate enough to win that first-round game we travel to play DC-G, who got beat out by Norwalk last year and has almost their whole team back this year.”
 ADM has four players that average between 9.5 and 11 points per game, led by seniors Ethan Juergens (10.8) and Tate Stine-Smith (10.7). Junior Sam Hlas (9.7 ppg.) leads the team with 42 three-pointers and is shooting 45 percent from the arc.
 The Cyclones, who have struggled offensively at times during the second half of the season, are shooting just 28 percent from three-point range and 40 percent overall.
 Leading scorers include Connor Frame at 15.3 points per game, Brad Curren (12.1), Aidan Hall (9.8) and Will McLaughlin (9.8).
 McLaughlin, who also averages 8.1 rebounds, hasn’t played since January 28 due to an injury and is doubtful for the postseason. The Cyclones have also played much of the year without senior guard Michael Erlemeier, who suffered a broken leg in December but has played in the last seven games - although not yet at 100 percent physically.
 Osborn says he just hopes to see HCHS give its best effort in the tournament and see where that takes them.
 “I would love to go into the tournament trail, and in fact this whole season, with a healthy Michael Erlemeier and Will McLaughlin, but injuries are part of athletics and we were very fortunate to avoid them last year,” he said.
 “I am pleased with how our guys have kept working hard and improving all year.  We will go compete and do the best we can.”

CLASS 3A, SUBSTATE 8 BOYS BASKETBALL
Substate Quarterfinals • Monday, February 22 • 7:00 p.m.
Perry at Dallas Center-Grimes           Clarke, Osceola at Glenwood
Harlan Community at ADM, Adel       Creston at Atlantic
Substate Semifinals • Thursday, February 25 • 7:00 p.m.
Harlan Community or ADM vs. Dallas Center-Grimes or Perry -- at Grimes
Glenwood or Clarke vs. Atlantic or Creston -- at Glenwood, 7:00 p.m.
Substate Final • Monday, March 1 • at Atlantic or TBD • 7:00 p.m.

 
 

 

Harlan Newspapers

1114 7th Street
P.O. Box 721
Harlan, IA 51537-0721

(800) 909-6397
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