Taylor Smith, Sports Editor
The Eagles kept their season alive on Monday night in the first round of Class 2A, District 4 boys basketball action. It was a game of runs against 8-12 Iowa Falls-Alden, but Eagle Grove kept their composure in overtime and triumphed 78-70 over their old conference foes.
Senior starters Abe Lin, Jaxon Morris, and Josh Miller all scored as Eagle Grove went on a 6-0 run to start the game. The purple and gold led 12-11 after a quarter of play.
In the 2nd quarter, a steal and layup from Morris put EG up by 7 and forced an IF-A timeout. The previously mentioned trio of seniors all converted on tough looks in the paint and gave EGHS a four-point cushion going into halftime.
A three from Iowa Falls-Alden gave them a brief lead in the 2nd half, but Lin, Miller, and sophomore Adrian Whipple all began heating up from long range. Lin’s buzzer beating corner triple made it 49-42 after three quarters.
The Cadets exploded for seven unanswered points to start the 4th. The score continued to seesaw as a long-range dagger from Iowa Falls-Alden countered an old-fashioned three-point play from Lin. Morris assisted an open Gavin Pedersen for an easy two, and Whipple drained a three from deep with 2:30 left in regulation.
Trailing by a few points with precious seconds ticking off the clock, the Cadets were given no choice but to foul. Morris and Pedersen were both perfect from the charity stripe, but it still remained a one-possession game.
In a startling turn of events, Kale Kalous of IF-A was fouled on a desperation three-point heave. The senior hit all three of his free throws to tie the game at 66. The Eagles turned the ball over on the ensuing inbounds play, but Iowa Falls didn’t keep possession for long. Their head coach attempted to call a timeout when neither team had a true handle on the ball, but the referee chose to allow it.
Coach Pedersen and Eagle Grove fans in attendance were rightfully incredulous, but the referees awarded the ball to the Cadets out of the aforementioned timeout. Fortunately, Whipple was able to swipe the ball away on the inbound and force overtime.
In OT, Morris calmly dialed in from distance to quiet the rowdy home crowd. Miller assisted Morris on a floater, and the Eagle Grove guards hit their free throws in the closing moments of their eight-point victory.
Lin’s 24 points led the Eagles, and Miller added 19. Morris and Whipple scored 16 and 14, respectively.
The 10-12 boys advanced for a chance to knock off 20-1 Ridge View in the second round. Tip-off is set for 7:00 P.M. on Thursday in Holstein.
