(Greenfield) Mount Ayr got the last laugh in a boys basketball game that featured five lead changes in the 4th quarter alone. The Raiders avenge one of their two losses on the season with a 64-59 decision over Nodaway Valley/O-M.
The victory also allows Mount Ayr to keep within one game of Bedford in the Pride of Iowa Conference. Those two teams will square off head-to-head on Friday.
Iowa baseball commit Jaixen Frost scored 30 points in Tuesday’s win against the Wolverines. His offensive output included 12 points in the 4th quarter and 22 after halftime. Brayden Pierson posted 11 points for Mount Ayr.
Nodaway Valley/O-M had 22 from Boston DeVault, 17 for Dawson Nelson, and 10 points out of Avery Phillippi. The Wolverines dropped the contest despite going 18/22 from the free-throw line.
Mount Ayr grabbed an early five point lead at 6-1, but Nodaway Valley answered with five in a row of their own to tie it. Mount Ayr took a 13-10 lead into the 2nd quarter, and led for nearly all of the frame, but Dawson Nelson got a steal and layup right before halftime to give the home team their first lead since the early going at 27-26.
Nodaway Valley/O-M used an 8-0 stretch midway through the 3rd to build the lead as big as nine points. DeVault, Nelson, Phillippi, and Doug Berg all hit 3-pointers as part of a 23 point 3rd quarter for the Wolverines. They led 47-38 late in the frame and took a 50-46 advantage into the 4th.
Down the stretch neither team led by more than three points until the last couple of possessions. Jackson Ruggles his a pair of threes in the 2nd half and finished with 8 points. Riley Stark added two clutch free-throws.
Mount Ayr puts themselves in position for a POI championship with their 8th straight win. They are 15-2 overall and 10-2 in the conference. Coach Bret Ruggles and his team will get another shot at Bedford which is 17-2 overall and 11-1 in the league standings. The Bulldogs beat the Raiders 55-44 in Bedford back on January 6th. In the first meeting Mount Ayr outscored Bedford 20-4 in the 3rd quarter lead 40-36, but the Bulldogs pulled off the 55-44 comeback win with a 19-4 4th quarter.
Nodaway Valley/O-M drops to 10-8. They’ll host Red Oak on Thursday and travel to Lenox on Friday.
