Clarks' 41 too much for Bloodhounds

FORT MADISON - Keokuk’s Jaxon Clark was going to be hard to defend, and Fort Madison coach Ryan Wilson understood that.
Where the Bloodhounds had to counter that, Wilson thought, was on the rebounding side.
They didn’t do it.
Clark had 41 points in Keokuk’s 61-50 win on Tuesday night, but it was the way he commanded the board that bothered Wilson.
“The rebounding thing … that's unacceptable on our part,” Wilson said. “Just go tip it out to half court or something. Go do something. I mean, we're watching the ball in the air, and then it's there, and then it's like, ‘Oh, where's he at?’ By that point it's too late. Quit watching the ball and just go block somebody out.”
Eight of Clark’s last 10 points came on putbacks as the Bloodhounds (4-4 overall, 3-2 Southeast Conference) were trying to come back in the fourth quarter.
The Bloodhounds were able to get the 6-foot-10 junior into foul trouble — he had four for the game — but couldn’t get him out of the game.

“He’s 6-10, and 300 pounds, and we don't have that,” Wilson said. “We had (Hunter) Creswell last year that physically could do some things and use his body and his strength as a senior, when (Clark) was a sophomore, and that gave us an advantage last year. And that's why we were able to beat him at home last year, because we had that physicality and were able to match up. We've got a lot of athletes on this team, but I don't have just some big, strong bruiser to guard that right now.”
The Bloodhounds were able to attack Keokuk’s 2-3 zone defense, but couldn’t match the Chiefs’ point production.
“We have the athleticism. We can attack anybody,” Wilson said. “You know, early on, we didn't attack him strong and allowed him to get some blocked shots and things. …. We had two fouls on him in the first quarter and we didn't capitalize. So that's frustrating, too.”
Fort Madison got to within 46-40 early in the fourth quarter before the Chiefs (7-3, 3-2) pulled away.
It was the seventh consecutive victory for Keokuk.
Kenden Bowie and Julian Dear led Fort Madison with 14 points each. Dayton Lamar had 12 points. 
Fort Madison plays host to Fairfield on Friday and Holy Trinity on Saturday.