(Des Moines) – Treynor's boys basketball season ended by the hands of 2A No. 1 Western Christian within the Class 2A state semifinals Thursday morning.
The Cardinals (22-4) gave the Wolfpack (22-3) a run for his or her cash within the first 13 minutes, however couldn't maintain the run in a 76-45 loss.
“We ran right into a buzzsaw,” Treynor coach Scott Rucker stated. “Western performed rather well. They're a extremely good crew. Congratulations to them. I believed they received right this moment.”
Coach Rucker's boys appeared able to run and gun with the top-ranked Wolfpack as the 2 groups traded the lead backwards and forwards within the first body. Treynor took a 17-16 lead into the second because of eight factors from Ethan Konza.
“I began taking pictures the ball properly,” Konz stated. “We began properly as a crew. That was good for us.”
“We felt good,” Rucker stated. “We didn't like that we gave them a pair in transition, however we scored.
The tide turned within the closing three minutes of the half as Western Christian went on a 12-1 run to show a 24-21 deficit right into a 33-25 halftime lead.
The Wolfpack continued their offensive success within the third quarter, outscoring Treynor 29-10 to cap an 11-minute sequence by which Western Christian put collectively a 41-11 spurt to tug away and advance to Friday afternoon's state title sport.
“I believed they have been actually good defensively,” Rucker stated. “They simply took us out of what we wished to do. We may have modified some issues defensively, however offensively we had most of our video games.”
Western Christian's success got here from their capacity to show offensive rebounds into factors. The Wolfpack had a 23-2 benefit on second-chance factors.
“It was robust,” senior Aaron Ehmke stated. “We didn't do some issues we wished to, however a rebound is a rebound. Could the very best man win.”
Western Christian shot 47.4% from the sphere on 57 area targets and had 4 in double figures. Kaden VanRegenmorter led them with 21 factors. Treynor made area targets at a 34.8% clip on 46 makes an attempt.
Sophomore Alec Pretty led the Cardinals with 17 factors.
“We hit some robust pictures, however their protection was actually good,” Pretty stated.
Western Christian's protection held Treynor star Jace Tams to only three factors. The Tams hit simply one in every of their 12 area purpose makes an attempt.
“It hurts proper now,” Tams stated. “However I wouldn't need to try this with every other guys. They simply denied me the ball and stayed on high of all the pieces. The threes weren't falling. That's the way it goes generally.”
Konz scored eight factors, whereas senior Karson Elwood scored seven in his closing sport for Treynor.
“We have been two groups that got here out and battled,” Elwood stated. “We knew it was going to be bodily. I believed I received across the rim properly, however the pictures simply weren't falling.”
The loss closes the door on the careers of Elwood, Konz, Tams and Ehmke. That quartet has helped the Cardinals win 77 video games during the last 4 years.
“They have been one in every of 4 groups left,” Rucker stated. “As a lot because it hurts, there's just one feeling I'd commerce it for. As a coach, you need them to maximise all the pieces they've received. This group has finished that. I couldn't be extra pleased with what they've finished all through the season.”
Click on beneath to hearken to the complete interviews with Tams, Pretty, Ehmek, Konz, Elwood and Coach Rucker.
