The CAM Cougars Girls Basketball Team will finish with a winning record this season, led by a tenacious defense and a great transition offense. Ada Hanson has been far and away the Cougars best player this season. Averaging 17 points, 7 rebounds and over two steals a game, Hanson isn’t just the best guard at CAM, she is one of the best guards in the playoffs. The offense completely runs through her, but the pride of the Cougars’ team is in their defense. It is that end of the court, Coach Joe Wollum says, is what allows them to be such a great team in transition. They play an aggressive style of defense with different presses that creates turnovers. As a team, CAM averages an impressive 10.5 steals a game. This defense first mindset is a strength from the regular season that Coach Wollum hopes carries over into the playoffs.

Even while having such a great player in Ada Hanson, there are still four other girls on the floor with her. Coach Wollum wants his girls to have the attitude that it will take everyone to make a run in the postseason:

Leadership in games like the playoffs is important, which is why Coach Wollum praises multiple girls for stepping up throughout the season, not just in their play on the court but also in how they carry themselves off the court and with their teammates:

Playoff success is one thing, but for High School athletes playing in their final games, it is important to enjoy the ride. In the stress of a win or go home game, Coach Wollum wants his team to appreciate how far they have come:

The CAM Cougars have just one last regular season game, playing Coon Rapids-Bayard at 6pm on 2/9 before the playoffs start. They will begin their journey through the postseason when they host Stanton in the first round of the playoffs on Thursday, February 12th at 7 pm.

The high school boys’ basketball playoffs are right around the corner, and the Riverside Bulldogs are ready to make some noise. Powered by star point guard Cole Jeppeson and a scrappy defense, the Bulldogs will be a tough draw for anyone that has to face them in the playoffs. Jeppesen, a junior, is the team’s second leading scorer and leading assist maker, averaging 10 points and 5 assists. The Bulldogs pride themselves on being a defensive team that implements full court pressure and makes opposing offenses uncomfortable. They average 9 steals a game and consistently implement Coach Kroon’s defensive tactic of picking up point guards behind half court. Riverside features four players who average over a steal a game, with junior’s Cole Jeppesen and Peyton Amdor collecting over two a game. Amdor is also the team’s leading scorer, pouring in 17 points a game. The attitude of being a defensive team is something that Coach Kroon wants the team to build on heading into the playoffs.

Although it is an entire team effort, it all starts with point guard Cole Jeppesen. Coach Kroon knows how important he is on both ends of the floor and how key that is when facing off against the conference’s best guards:

Playoffs can be daunting when faced with a win or go home scenario, but Coach Kroon doesn’t think changing scheme up is a good idea at this point in the season. Keeping his players’ legs fresh as the season closes is the most important thing:

This Riverside team is a group of boys that continue to impress their coach in not only their work ethic but their attitude as well. Coach Kroon believes that whatever success comes out of the playoffs will be the result of hours of work behind the scenes:

The Riverside Bulldogs first round playoff matchup has yet to be set, but it will be played on Tuesday, February 17th. They still have two regular season games left, with their second to last matchup taking place on Tuesday, February 10th against the Treynor Cardinals.

Iowa State coach T.J. Otzelberger says the Cyclones are focused on Tuesday night’s game and not the upcoming schedule. Winners of five straight and up to number five in the AP Poll, The Cyclones visit TCU on Tuesday night. After that, they will face five ranked foes in their next six games.

The Cyclones are 8-2 in the Big 12 and 21-2 overall. Otzelberger is confident they won’t be looking ahead.

TCU is 4-6 in the Big 12 and 14-9 overall.

Otzelberger says the Horned Frogs do a good job of generating turnovers.

Iowa State senior point guard Tamin Lipsey will match up against former Iowa guard Brock Harding.

Lipsey says the Cyclones are focused on the TCU game.

Junior forward Milan Momcilovic…

Momcilovic on staying focused on TCU….

BOYS

Non-Conference 

Carroll – 72 vs Denison-Schleswig – 54

Chariton – 59 vs Creston – 53

Treynor – 79 vs St. Albert – 47

Nebraska City – 77 vs Glenwood – 69

GIRLS

Non-Conference 

Denison-Schleswig – 51 vs Carroll – 35

Treynor – 66 vs St. Albert – 52

1A

1. Don Bosco

2. Jesup

3. Hinton

4. Lake Mills

5. Woodbury Central

6. Riverside

7. Logan-Magnolia

8. Nashua-Plainfield

Riverside – Rd 1: L to Lake Mills (32-28), Consolation: W over Nashua-Planfield (45-36), 5th Place: Loss to Woodbury Central (44-29)

2A 

1. Eddyville-Blakesburg-Fremont

2. Decorah

3. Clarion-Goldfield-Dows

4. Independence

5. Alburnett

6. West Delaware, Manchester

7. Algona

8. Glenwood

Glenwood – Rd 1: Loss to Decorah (51-21), Consolation: Loss to West Delaware (41-32)

3A

1. Southeast Polk

2. Indianola

3. Waukee Northwest

4. Dowling Catholic

5. Linn-Mar

6. Dallas Center-Grimes

7. Iowa City West

8. Pleasent Valley

Make it six straight for the Iowa Hawkeye men.

Gary Dolphin on the Hawkeye Network. Northwestern cut a 14 point second half deficit to three but the Hawkeyes held on for a 76-70 win in Iowa City. Bennett Stirtz had a career-high 36 points as Iowa moves to 8-4 in the Big Ten.

That’s Iowa coach Ben McCollum. The Hawkeyes built a 14 point lead seven minutes into the second half but were unable to deliver the knockout punch.

McCollum says the Hawkeyes did not do a good job of closing the game out.

Iowa is riding it’s first six game wining streak in Big Ten play in 10 years.

The Northern Iowa men will look for their third straight victory Monday night with a visit to Murray State. The Panthers are 7-6 in the Missouri Valley after Friday night’s win over Bradley. Senior forward Tristan Smith return from a hip injury and played eight minutes in Friday’s win.

That’s UNI coach Ben Jacobson. The Panthers have been playing well on defense and that will be a key against Murray State and Thursday night at Valley leader Belmont.

Jascobson says the Panther’s better play as of late is a result of improved health.

Jacobson says the Panthers have battled hard through adversity.

UNI senior guard Ben Schwieger says the Panthers are hoping to build even more momentum.

Schwieger says good defense begins on the perimeter.

Murray State is second in the Valley race with a record of 10-4 and the Racers lost in Cedar Falls in late January.

Hawkeye Ten Conference 

Atlantic – 64 vs Denison-Schleswig – 62 (OT)

Lewis Central – 54 vs Harlan – 47

Kuemper Catholic – 73 vs Shenandoah – 54

Western Iowa Conference 

Audubon – 64 vs Logan-Magnolia – 43

AHSTW – 68 vs IKM-Manning – 61

Underwood – 56 vs Riverside – 34

Treynor – 76 vs Tri-Center – 45

Corner Conference 

Stanton – 59 vs Griswold – 31

Bedford 66 vs Fremont-Mills 34

East Mills – 82 vs Essex – 28

Rolling Valley Conference 

CAM – 57 vs Glidden-Ralston – 43

Coon Rapids-Bayard – 65 vs Boyer Valley – 39

Woodbine – 60 vs Paton-Churdan – 46

Pride of Iowa Conference 

Southwest Valley – 49 vs Martensdale-St. Marys – 27

Central Decatur – 67 vs Nodaway Valley – 32

Mount Ayr – 76 vs East Union – 40

West Central Activities Conference 

ACGC – 73 vs Pleasantville – 70

Hawkeye Ten Conference 

Atlantic – 61 vs Denison-Schleswig – 22

Lewis Central – 52 vs Harlan – 41

Kuemper Catholic – 44 vs Shenandoah – 36

Western Iowa Conference 

Riverside – 48 vs Underwood – 33

AHSTW – 37 vs IKM-Manning – 35

Treynor – 60 vs Tri-Center – 15

Corner Conference 

Griswold – 49 vs Stanton – 43

East Mills – 59 vs Essex – 15

Fremont-Mills – 45 vs Bedford – 42

Rolling Valley Conference 

CAM – 47 vs Glidden-Ralston – 45

Coon Rapids-Bayard – 62 vs Boyer Valley – 34

Woodbine – 67 vs Paton-Churdan – 32

Pride of Iowa Conference 

Nodaway Valley – 55 vs Central Decatur – 34

Mount Ayr – 72 vs East Union – 26

West Central Activities Conference 

ACGC – 54 vs Pleasantville – 42

The Riverside Bulldogs split their doubleheader with the Underwood Eagles, with the girls winning 48-33 while the boys fell 56-34 Friday night. The girls never trailed in a game in which nearly all the offense occurred inside the paint, which suited the Bulldogs well. They converted at a higher clip, rebounded better, and defended well. Although Underwood played well and kept the game in reach, the Bulldogs were never out of control as the seventh-ranked team in 2A earned their 18th win. Meanwhile, for the boys, it was an off night. Underwood controlled the game from start to finish. Outsized, the Bulldogs struggled to rebound and struggled to score. However, it was not due to a lack of effort, as the boys fought hard but could not overcome the struggles.

GIRLS

It was a solid effort from the Bulldogs, maybe not their strongest, but given their postseason placement is well secured, it most certainly wasn’t a bad one. They were the better team from start to finish, and although Underwood played well enough to be in the game, Riverside did what good teams do and never lost control. Sydney Somers had another great effort and led the game in scoring with 21 points. Her seven points in the opening quarter made a big difference, as the opening frame was Underwood’s most productive. Although the Bulldogs led by just two after the first, they separated themselves in the second. The defense clamped down as the Eagles scored just four points in the frame. Although Riverside only scored nine themselves, it gave them a cushion heading into the half.

The Bulldogs got off to a quick start in the second half to build their double-digit lead, that’s all they would need. Although the Eagles brought it back to single digits once in the final frame, it didn’t last long. Both sides of the ball did a good enough job so that Underwood never truly threatened. Kayden Schnack and Sophia Fenner finished with 9 and eight points, respectively, while defense allowed single digits in every quarter but the first. Despite not being at full strength, the Bulldogs took care of business. Head coach Mark Jeppesen was pleased with how Sydney Somers performed and what she able to accomplish all season.

However, Jeppesen knows that there is room for improvement and that the Bulldogs will have to be better heading into the postseason.

BOYS

The Bulldogs had a tough challenge in the midst of what is arguably their toughest stretch of the season. Underwood came into Oakland with four wins in their last five games, two of which were against ranked opponents (Treynor & Tri-Center). The Eagles got to work right away, using their size advantage to build an early lead. Meanwhile, the Riverside offense struggled. Although they did get some opportunities, nothing fell, and by the end of the first, the Bulldogs found themselves down 16-3. The second was better for Riverside. The Bulldogs sank their first field goal while Cole Jeppesen and Owen Henderson also nailed threes. However, the Bulldogs still struggled to slow down the Eagles. Although they held leading scorer Garrett Luett scoreless in the second, seven other Eagles got on the scoresheet as Underwood took a 29-14 lead into the half.

Statistically the second half was better for the Bulldogs. Owen Fenner picked up six of his team-leading 10 points in the half while Jeppesen added another three and Paden Schechinger added five. Despite Riverside more than doubling their offensive output, they still could not find a way to stop the Underwood offense. Tayden Hall hit three long balls in the frame to end with a game leading 13 points while Luett and Nolan Baker both ended in double digits. Ultimately Underwood was too much for Riverside to handle Friday as the Bulldogs fell to 10-9. Despite the loss head coach nick Kroon was pleased with how his team fought.

Underwood’s decisive advantage on the glass played a major factor.

As the regular season comes to a close, Kroon’s message to the team is to believe.

The Bulldogs will hit the road for a doubleheader with Treynor on Tuesday. For the Girls it will mark the end of their regular season, while the boys will return home for one more game against Shanandoah.