(Atlantic) Atlantic advances to the Class 3A Substate 8 semifinal with a 53-47 win over Creston at Atlantic on Monday night.
Skyler Handlos led Atlantic with 19-points, Ethan Sturm scored 9-points, and Grant Sturm finished with 8. Colby Burg led Creston with 11-points, Evan Bruce finished with 9-points, and Kyle Strider added 8-points.
The Panthers came out of the gate hot in the first quarter. Kyle Strider knocked down two-three point shots, and Evan Bruce added a third to spur the Panthers to a 13-8 lead.
The Trojans bounced back and trimmed the Panthers’ lead to 29-25 at the break. Handlos scored 14 of his 19 –points in the first half. Ethan Sturm cranked up a big three-point shot, and the Trojans were a perfect 6-6 from the free-throw line.
“Creston did a great job moving the ball,” said Atlantic Head Coach Jeff Ebling. “Coach Shafer had a great game plan against us. We were frustrated in the first quarter with the way things were going. The shots weren’t falling, and we had some turnovers and things like that. We just needed to settle down.”
Atlantic’s tough defense and accuracy from the free-throw line moved them into the lead in the third quarter. Handlos’ drive and assist to Ethan Williams gave the Trojans its first lead, 30-29. The lead changed hands five more times after that before Creston settled out with a 38-37 advantage at the end of the third stanza.
Grant Sturm splashed down a three-point shot early in the fourth quarter to put Atlantic up 41-40. The lead exchanged hands four more times before Garrett Reynolds layup put the Trojans on top 46-45, and Atlantic never trailed again. Grant Sturm drained five-out-six free throws down the stretch to secure the 53-47 win.
“We made some big plays in the second half,” said Atlantic Head Coach Jeff Ebling. “Ethan Sturm stepped up and took a charge, and he knocked down a corner three. It was a back and forth game, and we knew it was going to be close. Our goal was to win each quarter, and besides the first quarter, we won each quarter after that, and that’s how we have to look at it from here on out. We’re happy to get this win. For me, I am happy to get the monkey off my back in the first round without overtime.”
Atlantic moves to 13-6 on the season and has won 10-out-of their last 11 games. The Trojans travel to (20-2) Glenwood on Thursday. The Rams ousted Clarke, Osceola, 75-48.
The tip-off is slated for 7:00 p.m. We will have the broadcast on 95.7 FM. The pre-game starts at 6:35 p.m.
