Solon’s boys’ basketball team rebounded Dec. 17 with a 63-41 win over Iowa City Regina at home after losing on the road Dec. 14 to Marion, 54-35.
In the win, the Spartans started a little slowly, leading by just a basket at halftime, 20-18. But things changed in the third quarter when they blew the game open with a 24-15 scoring bulge to lead 44-33 entering the home frame.
“Regina is a rivalry game,” said coach Jared Galpin. “It was a fun environment in front of our home crowd. We didn’t get off to the best start against their zone defense. We had just a two-point lead at half. We made some adjustments and picked Regina up full court on defense, which caused some problems for them and allowed us to score off steals.
“We had a good rhythm offensively in the second half and the guys were playing with confidence. Jake Timmons led us in scoring and has been shooting the ball well for us. It was great to have Jake Quillen back on the floor again. Oaken has also been really consistent for us lately on both offense and defense.”
Timmons ended with 12 (two threes), Gehrig Turner 10 (two), Quillen (one) and Kinnick Pusteoska seven, Foster (two), Jake Benzing (two) and Sean Stahle (one) six, Brady Mullen five, Carson Miller and Grant Gerdin two. The Spartans as a team shot 59.6% from the floor, 41.7% from the arc (10-of-24), 7-of-12 at the line.
Other individual statistics include: rebounds — Mullen, Timmons and Pusteoska six, Quillen and Foster two, Turner, Miller, Benzing and Logan Sieverding one; blocks — Pusteoska and Foster one; steals — Foster three, Mullen, Timmons, Bensing, Stahle, Gerdin and Turner two, Pusteoska and Cayden Knipper one; assists — Pusteoska five, Benzing and Stahle two, Mullen, Knipper, Turner, Foster and Miller one.
Scoring was harder to find against the Marion Wolves with none of the Spartans reaching double figures. The Wolves blasted them in the first quarter with a 16-8 scoring advantage and led by nine at half, 30-21. Maintaining through the third, the Wolves broke it open in the fourth, outscoring Solon 12-2 for the win.
“Marion is a tough team,” added Galpin. “We got down early and didn’t start extremely well on defense. We had missed rotations and transition points were scored against us. Those are things you cannot allow against any team, especially Marion.
“Once we settled in, I thought we played swell, until the fourth quarter. Like always, the team battled but we have to eliminate or reduce the mistakes we make on defense and offense in order to give oursleves a chance to win.”
Three Spartans hit eight points: Timmons (two), Foster (two), Pusteoska. Mullen added six, Gerdin and Miller two, Turner one. Other statistics include: rebounds — Turner six, Foster five, Timmons three, Miller and Pusteoska two, Mullen and Knipper one; steals — Miller, Pusteoska, Timmons and Mullen one; blocks — Timmons and Pusteoska one; assists — Pusteoska, Miller and Sean Stahle three, Foster two, Timmons one.
Solon rebounds with win over Regina
December 23, 2021
Jeff Hess
Spartan senior Jacob Timmons goes up in the paint for a lay up during first half action of Solon’s 63-41 victory over the Iowa City Regina Regals, Dec. 16, at home.
