(Atlantic) Atlantic overcame a nine-point first-half deficit to defeat Creston 55-49 in a Hawkeye Ten Conference Boys’ basketball game at Atlantic on Saturday. The Trojans victory follows a 71-50 win over Red Oak on Tuesday and a 63-47 win over Harlan on Thursday.
Ethan Williams scored a season-high 19-points, and Skyler Handlos scored 17 to lead Atlantic. Colby Burg led the Panthers with 15-points, Kyle Strider 13, and Kaden Briggs added 12.
Kaden Briggs knocked down two-three point baskets, and a field goal to lead the Panthers to a 15-11 first-quarter lead. The visitors extended the lead to 23-14 midway through the second period, but the Trojans fired back with a 10-1 run to end the half. Handlos fueled the rally with two-three point baskets and a field goal to help pull his squad within one-point 24-23 at the break.
The point differential didn’t stray away from either side of one or two points in the third quarter. Ethan Williams established a presence in the low post and his teammates fed him the ball, and the senior finished to help lead the Trojans back to even 37-37 at the end of three quarters.
It appeared the Panthers would salt the game away in the final eight minutes. Kyle Strider and Colby Burg buried two key three-point baskets down the stretch to build a four-point lead late in the contest. However, the Trojans rallied back. Grant Sturm and Craig Alan Becker fueled the fire with back-to-back three-point baskets. Ethan Williams scored six, and Dayton Templeton hit two key free throws in the final minute to secure the 55-49 win.
The Trojans move to 5-1 in the Conference, and 6-5 overall. Creston falls to 5-2 in the Hawkeye Ten Conference and 7-5 overall.
