Hounds fall to Lancers in home opener

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BY JOHN BOHNENKAMP
PCC SPORTS

FORT MADISON - The lesson was there on the video.
It was there in the junior varsity game.
How North Scott played Fort Madison’s boys basketball team wasn’t a surprise.
But the Bloodhounds let the Lancers get away from them in a 66-43 loss on Thursday night.
A barrage of 3-pointers in the second and third quarters allowed North Scott (2-0) to take control.
“That’s them,” Fort Madison coach Ryan Wilson said. “We saw that on the tape of their game against Pleasant Valley (on Friday). And they were doing the same thing in the JV game. Dribble-kick, dribble-kick. A lot of back-side threes.
“We allowed them to get into the middle of our defense. It’s something we have to get better at. That’s something we’re not supposed to allow.”
Fort Madison (0-2) led 14-13 in the second quarter after a 7-0 run, but the Lancers outscored the Bloodhounds 18-5 over the next 5 1/2 minutes. North Scott had three 3-pointers in that run.

Jake Eaves (21) gets tangled up with the Lancer's Alex Johnson (44) in the lane in the first half of Thursday's loss to North Scott in the Hound Dome. Photo by Chuck Vandenberg/PCC

“We didn’t stay grounded,” Wilson said. “We jumped into some things, led to a couple of offensive rebounds. Didn’t communicate on a couple of screens. And that allowed them to open things up going into halftime.”
The Bloodhounds, who trailed 31-21 at halftime, scored the four points of the third quarter. The Lancers, though, would have four 3-pointers, three from Oliver Hughes, in a 15-6 run to end the quarter.
“We just broke down defensively,” Wilson said.
Still, Wilson saw improvement from Friday’s 49-29 loss at Mount Pleasant.
“It’s a young team,” Wilson said. “They made big strides from last Friday to tonight. I told them I’m a firm believer that if they would have played as hard and well on Friday as we did tonight, there’s a good chance we would be 1-1. But, should-have, could-have, would-have, and here we are.
“If we can make that step forward every game, we’re going to be a really good team at the end of the year.”
Miles Dear led Fort Madison with 15 points.
“That’s huge for Miles,” Wilson said. “Miles is a kid who thinks a lot. So for him to come out and attack and score in the lane, knock down a three or two, that’s big. And we’re going to need that.”
Landon Eiland led North Scott with 15 points. Alex Johnson had 14. Canon Guffey had 13.
Fort Madison, which got a late start to the preseason, plays Saturday against Clark County (Mo.).
“I think we’re getting in rhythm now,” Wilson said. “They’re in shape now. They’re in game shape.”

basketball, bloodhounds, boys, fort madison, hoops, loss, North Scott, Pen City Current, sports, Thursday, varsity

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