Savages get rematch after District win

The Sigourney Savages are headed into a very tough matchup against Lynnville-Sully on February 20, to play the Hawks in the second round of postseason play. One key element they had was boosted confidence, having won three of their past four games, including a 60-49 victory over Moravia in round one on February 15.

    The Savages got a positive start from their offense, as they were able to score on most of their possessions and not turn the ball over. The ability to control the pace of play and not make mistakes were factors that benefitted Sigourney on both sides of the ball. Fewer turnovers meant less chance of the defense making a mistake or failing to get back and defend in transition. Sigourney put up 17 points in one of their better opening quarters of the season, while allowing Moravia to score 11.

    The Savages followed that up with another quarter to help extend their lead even more and send the boys into the half not only up 31-22 on the scoreboard, but also high in spirits.

    “We did a much better job taking care of the ball and rebound than we did most of the year,” Sigourney coach Mitch Eslick said. “We had four turnovers at the half and gave up zero offensive rebounds. That was crucial for us to get our nine-point halftime lead.”

    The third quarter Moravia got themselves going a bit more but were unable to eat into their deficit as Sigourney was able to match their 14-point effort. The final quarter of play saw some back and forth possessions, but ultimately Sigourney kept Moravia away at a safe distance. The Savages edged out Moravia 15-13 in the final eight minutes, to end the scoring at 60-49.

    Brady Powers led the scoring effort with 18 points, including nailing four treys, six rebounds, six assists and four steals. Dustin Haines and Kyle Weber put up 10 points and six rebounds apiece, while Haines also had seven assists and two steals. Brett Striegel had seven points, Eric Johnson had seven, Ben House had four, Spencer Magill had two and Dawson Baumert had two points. As a team, the Savages shot just under 50 percent from the field and assisted on 19 of their 25 buckets.   

    “I think we played one of our most complete games of the year,” Eslick said. “This gives us confidence heading into the next round and gives us confidence for next year with the entire group returning. It was a big win for us.”

    The Savages needed some things to fall their way going forward, getting a draw against Lynnville-Sully in the second round. The two teams had only played once earlier in the season, but LS had come out on top 69-38. Haines could be a difference-maker, as he was sidelined with his broken hand in the loss and poses as the leading ball-handler for the Savages.

    “They are an excellent team, some breaks are going to have to go our way,” Eslick said. “We will have to shoot the ball exceptionally well and have our best game of the year to be competitive. I’m excited to see how our kids respond.”