Hounds fall to 0-2 after 19 turnover night

BY CHUCK VANDENBERG
EDITOR

FORT MADISON - When a basketball team struggles to control the ball and put points on the board, it's best it happen early in the season.

Fort Madison boys have committed 38 turnovers in the last two games and are now 0-2 after Friday's 47-39 loss to Mt. Pleasant at home.

Head coach Ryan Wilson said the game didn't come down at all to Xs and Os, but about will... and want.

"I can't wait to watch film to see how many loose balls they got because we wouldn't get on the floor," Wilson said.

"It wasn't Xs and Os tonight. It was wanting it more and just going to get the ball."

Despite the 19 turnovers, Fort Madison was within striking distance down just three with four minutes remaining when senior Jayden Fedler hit a couple free throws after the Panthers' Brody Bender collided with him in the lane.

Mt. Pleasant would call a time out on their next possession to set up the half court and work some time off the clock. Mt. Pleasant worked the ball around the perimeter including a couple skip passes before senior Keegan Kohorst got free above the free throw line for an 18-foot jumper that put Mt. Pleasant up 43-38.

The Bloodhounds would then commit three turnovers in the next three possessions trailing by five. Sophomore Dayton Davis would convert the first of a one-and-one situation with :30 seconds left to cut the lead to four.

Fort Madison would then go into foul mode trying to regain possession and sent Mt. Pleasant to the free throw line three times in the final :30. The move could have paid off when the Panther's missed the back-end of two of the one-and-ones, but got offensive rebounds on both misses.

"Two consecutive times and we give up an offensive rebound. That's effort. That's effort," Wilson said.

Kohorst would convert two free throws to ice the game and Mt. Pleasant was able to run out the clock on their next possession.

Wilson said it's a long season and the Hounds will look to get their first win tonight at home vs. Centerville, but they have to find a way to limit turnovers and control the ball in the half-court offense.

"We didn't score in the last two minutes of the 1st and 2nd quarter and scored one point in the final four minutes. That's a whole quarter with one point," Wilson said.

"And we have to take care of the ball. We had 19 turnovers tonight and that's what we had on Tuessday night. You're not going to win many basketball games with 19 turnovers."

The game started physical when Jayden Fedler was knocked to the ground on the opening possession. But Fedler converted the strong move inside and was able to complete the 3-point play to give the Hounds a head start.

The two squads would battle to a 9-9 tie at the end of the first quarter and continue to play neck and neck throughout the half. Junior Brevin Wilson would score two consecutive buckets to give the Panthers a 15-13 lead, their first of the night with 5:10 to go in the second.

Bender would score after a Fedler free throw and then Fort Madison's Jace Burgher would score on a fast break to make it 16-17. Mt. Pleasant would miss two on the next possession and sophomore Miles Dear would hit a 3-ball for Fort Madison to put the Hounds back on top 19-17 with 2:56 left in the half.

Both teams would miss a free throw and a shot from the field in the final three minutes to end the half. Mt. Pleasant's shot was a heave from Brevin Wilson at about 3/4 court at the buzzer that just missed off the back of the rim.

The Panther's Jaxon Hoyle would hit a three pointer to give Mt. Pleasant an early lead in the third quarter, but a lead they would not give up the rest of the game. The closest the Hounds would get would be 32-34 at the end of the third period when Fedler hit a couple more free throws.

Fedler finished with 16 points on the night with four field goals and 8-of-9 shooting at the free throw line. Davis finished with 10 points, while Dear had five, Julian Navarro had six and Burgher had two.

Wilson said Fedler, Davis, and Navarro, who is seeing his first real playing time as a senior, all had good nights.

"Jayden had a good night and I'm not going to take anything away from him. But he's a senior leader and he has to go get those rebounds," Wilson said.

"Julian's doing his job and we got a find a way to keep him on the floor. It just comes down to certain matchups at certain times. He's not fancy or crazy, but he's getting the job done."

Kohorst led all scorers with 17 on the night. Wilson finished with eight. Mt. Pleasant improves to 1-1 on the year after an season-opening loss to Cedar Rapids Xavier.

Fort Madison falls to 0-2 after a Tuesday drubbing by Trae Schwartz and the Ottumwa Bulldogs.