Two more blowout wins lift Cyclone girls to 13-5 overall

 CARROLL (Feb. 2) -- Jocelyn Cheek keeps on knocking down threes and the Harlan Community girls basketball team continues to steamroll the opposition.
 The 11th-ranked (Class 4A) Cyclones notched two more lopsided wins earlier this week, smacking Greene County 58-16 Monday night in Harlan before winning at Kuemper Catholic 88-45 on Tuesday.
 Cheek, who tied a school record with nine treys last Friday vs. Creston, hit 3-of-5 vs. Greene County and 5-of-9 at Kuemper, making her 23-of-41 (56 percent) from long range during the last four contests.
 HCHS, which has won its last three games by an average margin of  41 points, approached the 90-point mark against Kuemper for the second time this season and improved to 13-5 overall. The Cyclones will take a 7-2 Hawkeye Ten record into Friday night’s home game vs. Lewis Central, which is tied for third place in the conference standings with HCHS and Creston.
 “I’m very happy with how we are playing on both ends of the court right now,” said HCHS head coach Zach Klaassen. “We have really been pushing the ball and applying a full-court press which has led to some easy buckets. The three-point shot has opened driving lanes and things for the post as well. We need to continue to share the ball, play with confidence, and good things will happen.”
HCHS 58, Greene County 16
 Monday’s game was virtually no contest as the Cyclones built an astonishing 44-2 halftime lead and played the entire second half with a running clock.
 All five Cyclone starters scored between seven and 11 points, led by Cheek and Macie Leinen with 11 each, Claire Schmitz 10, Ashley Hall eight and Brecken Van Baale seven. Cheek also led the way with nine rebounds.
 Van Baale grabbed six of the team’s 19 steals and tied Hall for team-high honors with four assists.
 Greene County (5-10 overall) shot just 20 percent from the field and turned the ball over 23 times. Brianna Habben paced the Rams with five points, nine rebounds and three blocks.
HCHS 88, Kuemper 45
 The Cyclones nearly matched their 87-41 home win over the Knights from December 8 with another convincing rout Tuesday as Cheek’s 20 points paced four HCHS girls in double figures.
 The Cyclones dominated each of the first two periods to take a 48-18 halftime lead, shooting 51.6 percent for the game and making 11-of-24 three-pointers.
 Claire Schmitz tallied 17 points and 12 rebounds for HCHS (she had 13 and 11 at halftime), Macie Leinen had 15 points and eight boards and Caitlyn Leinen added 13 points and five rebounds off the bench, making both of her three-point attempts. Hall and Raegen Wicks both chipped in seven points and Van Baale scored six.
 Assist leaders were Hall with six and Van Baale, Cheek and Wicks all with four.
 Kuemper (4-13, 2-7 H-10) was led by 15 points from Brooklyn Gifford, who made 5-of-9 threes. Catherine Mayhall added three treys and had 11 points and five assists. The Knights scored most of their points from behind the arc, hitting 11-of-27.