It has been a weird season for the No. 10 Mount Vernon boys’ basketball team.
Injuries, suspensions, and now blizzards have combined to keep the Mustangs from developing any continuity. But Mount Vernon still managed to beat Clear Creek Amana, 65-58, on Thursday, Jan. 11, in Tiffin.
“We met as a team over Zoom,” Mount Vernon Coach Derek Roberts said. “Honestly, it feels a little like COVID again. And that wasn’t a fun time.
“But the team is ready.”
Senior Jackson Kutcher looked like his old self Thursday, scoring 27 points, grabbing 15 rebounds and dishing five assists.
“We’ve been waiting for that,” Roberts said. “It’s been a weird season for him. Being out early, then hurt over Christmas.
“I asked him after the game, how did that feel? And he said it felt really good. That got him going a little bit.”
It was also the Mustangs’ third game without Joey Rhomberg, out with a sternum injury. Ollie Heinrich continues to put in the work as a starter, as the team tries to make up for the loss of the all-conference forward.
“We are trying to do all the little things right,” Roberts said. “Everyone is hustling their tails off and collectively putting it together to replace him.”
On Thursday, a game moved from Tuesday because of the snow, the Mustangs raced out to a 19-7 lead after one quarter and never trailed. Foul trouble allowed the Clippers (4-5) to make it interesting.
“We hit our free throws at the end,” Roberts said.
Haiden Hardy matched Kutcher with 27 points for CCA.
Up next, a scheduled date at No. 4 Solon on Tuesday, Jan. 16. Then a trip to West Delaware on Friday, Jan. 19, and a game against Bondurant-Farrar on Saturday, Jan. 20, in Wells Fargo Arena.
“We’ll go to the Iowa Wolves game after,” Roberts said. “A nice team-building day.”
The game against Marion, scheduled for Friday, Jan. 12, was moved to Feb. 8.