The Mount Vernon boys basketball team was playing without two starters Saturday, but to see them play that night, one wouldn’t think they were short-handed.
The Mustangs fought off a challenge from Cedar Rapids Jefferson in Mount Vernon, defeating the visitors 79-74.
The team was without Joey Rhomberg, still out from a playoff football injury, and Jensen Meeker, out from illness.
Coach Derek Roberts noted the first quarter was a big reason for the team’s win.
“We came out real hot,” Roberts said.
Indeed, the team outperformed Jefferson 27-13 in the first period, giving themselves enough cushion that, even though Jefferson outscored them in the next two quarters, they were still able to come away with a narrow victory.
“It was a pretty fun game,” said Roberts.
The first year Mustangs head coach said as he was watching the team in the first, he thought, “I don’t know how much longer this shooting can continue, but it’s nice while it’s happening.”
The team went into half time with a commanding 38-26 lead. That lead would begin to slip away in the third.
“They punched us in the mouth,” Roberts said. “We saw some adversity there. I thought that was good for us to see that, because it’s a game of runs. You just have to know how to weather those storms.”
The coach indicated he was happy with his team’s grit.
“I thought a couple of guys, down the stretch, played really well. Evan Brase has got such a calm, cool, collected attitude, and it rubs off on his teammates. Joseph Briesemeister, as a sophomore, started for us last night and made some really big plays. He didn’t really play like a sophomore, in his first varsity start,” said Roberts.
Jackson Kutcher, a junior, led the team in scoring with 22 points, going 7-12 from behind the arc, and dishing up four assists. Brady Erickson chipped in 16 points, four rebounds, three assists, and two steals. Briesemeister nabbed 14 points and nine boards.
The team would have three games in four days this week, and could be caught in action Friday at Vinton Shellsburg and Saturday at Fort Madison.
MV 27 11 18 23 79
CRJ 13 13 27 21 74
Points | Jackson Kutcher, JR PTS 22 FG 7/12 3PT 7/12 FT 1/4
Points | Brady Erickson, SR PTS 16 FG 6/9 3PT 1/2 FT 3/8
Points | Joe Briesemeister, SO PTS 14 FG 3/7 FT 8/12
Rebounds | Joe Briesemeister, SO RBD 9 OFF 3
Rebounds | Brady Erickson, SR RBD 4 OFF 2 STL 2
Rebounds | Zach Fall, SR RBD 4 STL 2

Gallery • 3 Photos

Trent Bowman

Mount Vernon’s Zach Fall (No. 5) looks for an open teammate in play last week.