GILBERT — The Prairie City-Monroe girls basketball team trailed Gilbert 11-0 to start the game, but a 27-9 run gave momentum to the visitors and the Class 3A No. 15 Mustangs never looked back in a 43-33 win Friday.
PCM, which improved to 14-3 overall and 11-1 in the Heart of Iowa Conference, outscored Gilbert 19-9 in the second frame. The Mustangs have now won five straight games.
Only four PCM players scored in the game.
Freshman Regan Freland scored 14 points and dished out five assists, senior Katie Vande Wall had 11 points, nine rebounds and three assists and senior Lexi Timmins and Kayla Jennings each scored nine points.
Timmins grabbed five boards and had three steals.
Jennings finished with three rebounds and two steals. Senior Bailey Brodersen contributed two assists.
Gilbert (5-12 overall, 4-9 in the HOIC) lost its fourth straight game. Sarah Hinners had 11 points and 13 rebounds in the loss.
“We used the press to get out of our early hole,” PCM coach Jeff Lindsay said. “We eventually settled in and starting hitting shots.”
The Mustangs won the game despite the slow start and tough shooting night.
PCM made 19-of-44 from the floor but did connect on four 3-pointers. The Mustangs only attempted two free throws.
BOYS
Gilbert 69, PCM 51
Gilbert jumped out to an early lead and put the game away with a dominating third quarter during a HOIC game Friday, beating PCM 69-51.
The Tigers won their second straight game, while the Mustangs lost for the second straight night, this time in Heart of Iowa Conference play.
Junior Jackson Thomas led the Mustangs (9-6 overall, 8-3 in the HOIC) with 11 points and five rebounds, while junior Noah Lanphier put in a career-high eight points along with four rebounds and three assists.
Sophomore Andrew Van Ryswyk scored five points and grabbed six rebounds. Sophomore Reed Worth tallied three rebounds, three steals and two assists.
The Mustangs made 19-of-46 from the floor and were 5-of-17 from 3-point range.
Freshman Matt Ockey led Gilbert (9-5, 8-4) with 15 points. Gilbert out-rebounded PCM 43-24 and made four more 3-pointers. The Tigers led by 11 at halftime and outscored PCM 25-12 in the third quarter.
Both PCM varsity squads play Greene County in a HOIC doubleheader starting at 6 p.m. Monday in Jefferson. The Mustangs then host South Hamilton in another HOIC doubleheader at 6 p.m. Tuesday.
Greene County and South Hamilton are currently the top two teams in the boys HOIC standings. PCM is third.