April 24, 2024

O-M falls to No. 2 Ankeny Christian

By TYLER HETU
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Noah Nichols shoots over an Ankeny Christian Academy defender during Thursday's 99-28 loss. Nichols led O-M in scoring with 18 points, scoring the lone triple of the contest for the Bulldogs.

ANKENY – The Orient-Macksburg boys had a tough task ahead of it Thursday, facing No. 2 ranked in Class 1A Ankeny Christian Academy.

The ACA boys showcased why it is ranked number two in the class, rolling to a 99-28 win over the Bulldogs.

The Bulldogs fell behind early, succumbing to a 7-0 deficit in the first minute and a half on a quick Eagles team.

With a cushioned lead, Ankeny Christian retained control of the ballgame, extending its lead to 20-1 at the end of the first quarter.

O-M finished the first half with seven points, four coming from Noah Nichols.

Nichols finished the game with 18 points.

“We knew coming into today (Thursday) it was going to be a tough task,” said Bulldogs head coach Michael West. “Having one day to prepare for it might not have been enough.”

O-M opened the second half still in a daze as the Ankeny Christian continued to force turnovers for the Bulldogs. The fourth quarter was where O-M started to get points on the board, but by then it was too late.

An 11 point fourth quarter nearly doubled the final score for O-M as they fell to a very tough Ankeny Christian squad.

“They’re a very talented team and they have probably the toughest district to go through in the state,” said West about the Eagles. “They’re fast, they got good size, and they’re the real deal.”

Orient-Macksburg’s five active seniors, Andrew Hribal, Noah Nichols, Carson Thompson, Dylan Holste and Christian Gist finished the night on the court in their final game with Orient-Macksburg basketball.

“They were a great senior class. They did a lot of great things for the school,” said West. “They did a lot of good things for me, which I am very grateful for, and to go out against a very good team ... to lose to a good team that has very good chance of going to state I’m not real mad about.”

Ankeny Christian Academy 99, Orient-Macksburg 24

ACA (99) — 22 32 23 22

OM (24) — 1 6 6 11

ANKENY CHRISTIAN (FG FT PTS) — Totals – 38 16-23 99. Caleb Grizzle 7 3-3 17, David Nelson 6 1-2 13, Chad Elrod 4 3-4 11, Jayce Goergen 3 3-4 10, Colby Elrod 3 0-0 9, Malachi Johnson 3 2-2 9, Cale Leever 3 1-4 8, Daniel Lounsbrough 4 0-0 8, Brandon Craighead 2 2-2 7, Nic Worsham 2 1-2 5, Ben McDermott 1 0-0 2. 3-point goals – 7 (Colby Elrod 3, Johnson 1, Goergen 1, Leever 1 Craighead 1). Team fouls — 16. Fouled out — none.

ORIENT-MACKSURG (FG FT PTS) — Totals — 9 9-18 24. Noah Nichols 6 5-8 18, Carson Thompson 1 1-3 3, Keegan Russel 1 1-3 3, Blake Thompson 1 0-0 2, Dylan Holste 0 2-4 2. 3-point goals – 1 (Nichols). Team fouls — 20. Fouled out — none.