March 29, 2024

Baxter boys can’t overcome another cold shooting night

BAXTER — For the third time this season, Baxter’s boys’ basketball team allowed 50 points or less but still lost.

The Bolts shot 41 percent from the floor and made only 3-of-15 from 3-point range, and another cold shooting night plagued host Baxter during a 50-47 loss to North Tama in an Iowa Star Conference South Division game on Monday night.

Baxter scored the game’s first five points but never led again.

“It’s been the story of our year. The ball has a hard time going in,” Baxter boys’ coach Zach Hasselbrink said.

Junior Cole Damman and senior Will Clapper both scored 17 points and junior Carter Nelsen nearly recorded a double-double but only four Bolts scored in the game.

After senior Brendyn Padget hit a layup and Damman buried the first of his three 3-pointers early in the first quarter, North Tama went on a 12-4 run to lead 12-9 lead after one quarter.

The Bolts (5-8 overall, 4-4 in conference play) came within one point three different times before tying the game twice in the second period. Damman scored seven points in the second frame, but the Bolts trailed 27-24 at halftime.

“Ultimately, it comes down to us coaches trying to figure out how to get the ball to go in the hole,” Hasselbrink said.

“If we are going to hold teams to around 50 points, we should be able to win those games. We need to figure that out.”

The Redhawks (10-5, 6-1) led the Bolts by one at halftime in the first meeting this season but used an 11-0 run in the third quarter to pull away.

North Tama went on an 12-2 run in the third on Monday and led 39-28 midway through the quarter. Baxter was able to weather things this time around though as Clapper got a three-point play and Damman buried a trey to trim the Bolts’ deficit to five.

Clapper scored another bucket inside the lane to end the third and that basket sent the Bolts into the final quarter with a 41-37 deficit.

Clapper got his team within two with a bucket early in the fourth, but the Bolts couldn’t get over the hump.

“There are things that are starting to come around, but North Tama is a good team. They took away some things we do best,” Hasselbrink said. “I thought we battled hard and gave ourselves a chance down the stretch.”

Every time Baxter got close, North Tama responded at the other end. Trailing by five in the closing minutes, Damman and Clapper each scored inside to trim the margin to one.

The Bolts had a chance to take a late lead in the closing seconds but Nelsen missed a hook shot in the lane.

North Tama made things tough for Clapper all night, and the Redhawks made sure he didn’t touch the ball on that possession.

“They did a nice job all of making sure it was going to be tough for Clapper to get his touches. He had to work for his points,” Hasselbrink said. “We did get the ball to a post player who is shooting 60 percent though. He took his favorite shot. We were OK with that look given the situation and the time.”

Out of a timeout with 12.2 seconds left, North Tama used a baseball pass to Hale Hulme and a layup by Hulme pushed the margin back to three.

Senior Ian Thomson got an open look from downtown but missed the potential game-tying shot, and the time ran out on the Bolts.

“We didn’t want (Hulme) to touch it on that final possession, but that didn’t work out for us,” Hasselbrink said. “The plan was to trap for about six seconds and then foul the next guy who touched it. We just didn’t want to give up a 3-pointer or an and one.

“We still had the ball down three with a chance to tie it. It was an open 3-pointer from a senior. It would have been awesome to see that shot go in for him, but it’s a shot we can live with, too.”

Clapper added nine rebounds to his 17 points, while Damman had 17 points, four rebounds, two assists and three steals. Nelsen added eight points, 10 boards and three assists and Padget scored five points and tallied four rebounds. Thomson also had four boards.

Baxter was plagued by 22 turnovers.

Hulme led all scorers with 18 points and Cael Even chipped in 12 points.

Baxter plays Don Bosco at 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday in Gilbertville.

North Tama 12-15-14-9 — 50

Baxter 9-15-13-10 — 47

North Tama (FG/3pt-FT-F-TP): Hale Hulme 7/1-3-3-18, Noah Bond 1-0-1-2, Cael Even 4/2-2-2-12, Zach Greiner 2/2-1-1-7, Ryan McLean 2/1-0-2-5, Caleb DeBoef 0-0-1-0, Skyler Staker 2/2-0-1-6. Totals 18/8-6-11-50.

Baxter (FG/3pt-FT-F-TP): Cole Damman 7/3-0-2-17, Brendyn Padget 2-1-3-5, Carter Nelsen 4-0-2-8, Will Clapper 8-1-3-17, Ian Thomson 0-0-1-0, Kael Johnston 0-0-2-0, Tyler Titus 0-0-1-0. Totals 21/3-2-14-47.