Colfax-Mingo boys rout Tri-County, cruise past West Central Valley

COLFAX — Colfax-Mingo’s boys’ basketball team overcame a slow start in time to rout Tri-County at home during a South Iowa Cedar League contest on Thursday night.

The Tigerhawks fell behind 11-4 and trailed 16-10 after one quarter, but balanced scoring and strong defense turned the tide during a 67-42 win.

After winning four games last season, the Tigerhawks are now 8-3.

They improved to 6-3 in SICL play.

“It’s a lot more fun this year. I wanted us to win more than four games,” sophomore Cole Bracewell said. “And we are well ahead of that. Now we go game by game and see how many we can get.”

Bracewell tied a career-high with 18 points and grabbed seven rebounds, while Brady Berkey added 15 points, eight rebounds, six assists, five steals and two blocks for the Tigerhawks.

Bracewell and Berkey each scored four points in the first quarter, but the Tigerhawks trailed by six after one.

“I was not surprised,” Colfax-Mingo coach Mark Rague said. “We had a conversation before the game about how I thought it could be 8-6 after the first. Any time you get on the court, you have an opportunity to compete and win. I know they haven’t won many games, but they still show up and compete.”

Bracewell scored 12 points in the second quarter to give the home team a comfortable lead at halftime. The Tigerhawks scored the first eight points of the quarter to grab the lead.

They went ahead for good on seven straight points by Bracewell that put Colfax-Mingo up 26-20.

“They made some crazy shots in the first quarter and we weren’t making our shots,” Bracewell said. “But we got things turned around and we had some great chemistry in that second quarter.”

Bracewell and Zach Steenhoek scored the final 16 points for C-M in the second and the 16-2 run put the Tigerhawks up 35-22 at halftime.

“We made a concerted effort to play hard. We got into them and created some opportunities for ourselves,” Rague said.

“We shared the ball well and ran hard for each other. They played the game the right away.”

A 20-9 advantage in the third pushed the lead to 55-31 after three quarters. Berkey, Bracewell, Steenhoek, Jacob Nichols, David Rague and A.J. Gibson all scored in the period.

Coach Rague shifted in plenty of bench players in the fourth. Colton Lind started the period with a layup, Wyatt Gull drained a 3-pointer and Jason Rhinehart scored inside on a nifty underhand shot that banked off the glass.

“There are things that you can do to build chemistry. A.J. saving the ball in the corner and Cole taking a charge. Those are hustle plays and are contagious,” Coach Rague said. “Those plays show that we are playing for each other and not ourselves. That’s what we want to see every night.”

Steenhoek finished with 11 points and four rebounds, Nichols had nine points and nine rebounds and David Rague scored five points, grabbed three boards, dished out three assists and swiped five steals.

Nine different players scored and Colfax-Mingo was 15-of-21 from the free-throw line.

Brayden Monroe led Tri-County (0-11, 0-9) with 17 points.

Colfax-Mingo 76,

West Central Valley 51

Berkey had a double-double, four Tigerhawks scored in double-figures and Colfax-Mingo routed West Central Valley in a non-conference game on Monday night.

Berkey finished with 23 points, 10 assists and seven rebounds as the Tigerhawks defeated the Wildcats 73-51 at home.

Colfax-Mingo led West Central Valley (1-12) 39-23 at halftime.

David Rague added 15 points, seven rebounds, three assists and three steals, Nichols tallied 12 points and nine rebounds and Steenhoek pitched in 10 points and five rebounds.

Gull also made a pair of 3-pointers and finished with six points, while Bracewell contributed five points and five rebounds.

Colfax-Mingo travels to Iowa Valley to face the Tigers at 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday in Marengo.