Eagles drop two conference games
By JJ Ossola
IV Leader Sports Editor
The IVCC men’s basketball team lost to both the Sauk Valley
Skyhawks (56-67) on Feb.15 and the Blackhawk East Warriors (72-88) on Feb. 17.
Head Coach Mike Riley said, “Our team is having a really hard
time getting rebounds. Nobody wants to box out their man and get the ball back.
“We have improved in about every other area besides that. We
can shoot, pass, run the ball, shoot free throws, but we can’t seem to get the
rebounds.”
Riley believes, though, that the rebounding problem can be
overcome.
“If we improve on rebounding,” he said, “I think we can have
a good run in the upcoming tournaments.”
Against the Sauk Valley Skyhawks, Eagles Forward Elton Barry
led the team with 19 points on 53 percent shooting on the floor and 3/3 from the
free-throw line. Barry also had six rebounds. The rest of the Eagles team was
held to 8 or fewer points.
The Skyhawks, unafraid to take the long shots, drained four three pointers
before the end of the first half and four more in the final minutes of the game.
Against the Blackhawk East Warriors, the Eagles were again
led by Barry, who had 18 points on 50 percent shooting on the floor and four
rebounds.
Sophomore Guards Eric Heider and Jermaine Versher added 14
points apiece.
Heider shot 80 percent behind the 3 point arc, 2-2 from the free-throw line and
is now ranked 18th in the nation for 3 point percentages.
Versher also had 6 rebounds and 5 assists, went 3-4 on his 3’s and is now ranked
35th in the nation for 3 point percentage.
Blackhawk East Head Coach Byron Young said, “Mike Riley’s teams have a lot of
hustle and if you don’t keep attacking them, they will come back on you.”
The Warriors lead scorer G/F Michael Davis, Jr. finished the
Eagles fourth-quarter comeback hopes with back-to-back 3 pointers from the
corner.
Davis scored 26 in the game and four other players scored 12 or more points.
The Eagles final home game is Feb. 24.