Mustangs wrap up share of HOIC title

MONROE — The PCM boys’ basketball team got a career-high 25 points as well as eight rebounds from sophomore Luke Greiner, outscored Greene County 35-21 in the second half and earned a share of the Heart of Iowa Conference title with another home win Friday.

PCM, which ended the regular season with five straight wins, led by three at halftime before collecting a 66-49 win over the Rams.

Logan Gilman scored 14 points, grabbed four rebounds and dished out four assists for the Mustangs, who finished 16-2 in conference play.

Ricky Reeve and Trey Lindsay each scored eight points.

Lindsay also had seven assists and Reeve dished out six assists.

"It feels really good," PCM coach Fred Lorensen said of the co-conference championship. "We felt like we let one get away from us last year, so it was nice to bounce back.
"Things didn't start out well for us, but the kids did a nice job of not giving up on themselves."

The Mustangs (17-4, 16-2) shared the HOIC championship with Gilbert, which also went 16-2. Both Tiger losses came to PCM. Gilbert took care of things on its end Friday with a road win over Collins-Maxwell/Baxter.

Greene County stayed close in the first half because it made five 3-pointers. That number shrank to just one in the second half as the Mustangs rode another solid defensive effort to victory.

“We cleaned up some things defensively and did a nice job of containing (Trey Tucker),” Lorensen said.

Tucker came into the game averaging 24 points per game but was held to just five Friday night.

Offensively, the Mustangs made 28-of-56 from the floor but went 0-for-7 from 3-point range.

PCM has a bye in the opening round of the Class 2A playoffs. The Mustangs will play either Davis County or Eddyville-Blakesburg-Fremont in the District 12 semifinals on Thursday at Pella Christian.