WATERLOO — Waterloo West broke open a close game at halftime and pulled away from the Marshalltown boys’ basketball team for a 65-43 non-conference victory on Thursday night.
The Bobcats (4-10) went in shorthanded with a pair of varsity regulars out of action due to illness and injury, and Waterloo West capitalized. The Wahawks (7-4) made more 3-pointers than 2-pointers and broke open what was a close game early on.
Marshalltown would have led after the opening quarter if not for a half-court shot banked in by Jahlil Manago at the buzzer, giving Waterloo West the 18-16 advantage. The Wahawks added to their advantage in the second, goig up 29-21 at halftime.
The third quarter belonged to the hosts. Waterloo West outscored MHS 20-10 in the period to put itself out of reach.
“I think part of it is we just ran out of gas,” said MHS head coach Michael Appel. “We’re not very healthy as of late, and I don’t want to use that as an excuse, but we just were shorthanded without Jamison (Niehouse) and Zane (Moore) and guys aren’t feeling the best right now and trying to play through it. We give them credit but it’s tough to do that over the course of a game.”
Manago and Parker Berns both scored 16 points apiece to lead Waterloo West, while Zachary Dobbs and Derrick Akines Jr. both chipped in with eight points.
The Bobcats were led by Kyle Smith, who scored 17 points and pulled down 10 rebounds. Drake Gersema, Adam Boone and Jacob Hayes contributed six points apiece.
Boone, a senior, represented well in his first varsity start.
“That was a really bright spot of all this tonight,” Appel said of Boone’s play. “He was ready, he knew every single play, he didn’t turn it over, he defended as well as he could, he gave effort and then he made shots. That’s what he brings for us.
“It’s really good to see that. Hopefully as we go on we’re going to need him and he continues to have confidence and we get him open looks and find him when he gets it going.”
Marshalltown is off until Tuesday’s trip to Fort Dodge. The Bobcats are back at home next Friday against Waterloo East.
Waterloo West 65, Marshalltown 43
MARSHALLTOWN (4-10) — Drake Gersema 2 1-4 6, Kyle Smith 7 0-0 17, Adam Boone 2 0-0 6, LaMar Johnson 2 0-1 4, Jacob Hayes 2 2-4 6, Dominyc Clure 0 2-2 2, Tyler Dorothy 0 0-0 0, Will Swartz 1 0-0 2, Arion Hancock 1 0-0 2. TOTALS 16 6-11 43.
WATERLOO WEST (7-4) — Parker Berns 6 1-2 16, Jahlil Manago 6 1-2 16, Derrick Akines Jr. 2 3-4 8, Zion Cook-Berns 2 0-0 6, Joseph Hudson 1 3-5 6, Zachary Dobbs 3 0-0 8, Tyrell White 1 0-0 2, Colin Lesyshen 0 0-0 0, Cooper Doland 0 0-0 0, Gavin Nash 1 0-0 3. TOTALS 22 8-13 65.
MHS 15 6 10 12 — 43
W’LOO WEST 18 11 20 16 — 65
3-Point Goals–MHS 5 (Smith 3, Boone 2), WW 12 (Berns 3, Dobbs 2, Manago 2, Cook-Berns 2, Akines, Nash, Hudson). Team Fouls–MHS 11, WW 15. Fouled Out–none.